


To The One Who Is The Heart Of Our Pack

by MissYuki1990



Series: Sterek [11]
Category: teen wolf - Fandom
Genre: AU, F/M, M/M, Pack Dad Derek Hale, Pack Mother Stiles Stilinski, Past Rape/Non-con, Slash, Werewolf!Stiles, alpha!Derek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-19
Updated: 2014-11-19
Packaged: 2018-02-26 07:31:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 28,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2643419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissYuki1990/pseuds/MissYuki1990
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>"We need to get him somewhere safe," Peter said, and Derek looked at him.<br/>"There's no such place."<br/>"His house?" Isaac suggested, and the two older werewolves looked at him.<br/>"His dad doesn't know," Peter warned, and Derek looked at Stiles who seemed to have fallen into tormented sleep. Derek swallowed difficultly, and gently picked up the sleeping teen.<br/>"He'll find out soon enough."</em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Conflicting Emotions

**cut**

**I don't own the characters of Teen Wolf. I claim no rights to anything connected to the fandom.**

**cut**

_Even a man who is pure in heart,  
and says his prayers by night,_  
 _may become a Wolf when the Wolfsbane blooms,_  
and the Moon is Full, and Bright.

_\- Van Helsing (2004)_

**cut**

Derek raised his head when he heard the sound of a familiar car coming to a stop in front of the old Hale house. He frowned and walked out in time to see Stiles come out of his Jeep. His frown deepened when he saw the bruise on Stiles’ face and the cut on his lip.

Stiles didn't walk closer to him.

He didn't move away from his Jeep.

He simply stood there with hands in the pockets of his red hoody, and his cinnamon eyes focused on Derek.

"What are you doing here?" Derek asked, and Stiles snorted.

"You know what?" he said, and started to move forward. He looked into the darkness of the forest before looking at Derek again. "I'm tired of people constantly asking me that."

Derek frowned at him. "What are you…"

"Would you shut up for a second?!" Stiles snapped, and Derek glared at him.

"You're not welcome," Derek growled, and turned his back on Stiles.

"I didn't know, damn it!" Stiles cried out, and Derek stopped in his tracks. "I didn't know Scott's plan! For fuck's sake, I really thought he joined your Pack, Derek!"

Derek looked at Stiles over his left shoulder. The teen's heart was beating fast, but he wasn't lying. It was because he was angry.

He was also deceived.

He was also tricked by Scott.

Derek swallowed, and his jaw tightened. "What are you doing here, Stiles?" he asked, but this time he didn't sound angry. He frowned when the wind blew towards him from Stiles' direction, and Derek smelled something different.

He looked at Stiles and saw the teen looking to the side. Stiles eyes were filled with tears he obviously didn't want to cry; or maybe couldn't. If Derek concentrated, he could smell a faint trace of blood.

If he looked closely he could see a slight shiver to Stiles' body that had nothing to do with ADHD or the chill of the evening.

"I..." Stiles started but choked on words. He tried to look at Derek, and the Alpha frowned when Stiles looked away. He never looked away. He always looked in everyone's eyes. "I didn't – I didn't know where else to go," his voice broke, and Derek turned around to face Stiles fully.

"What happened?" Derek asked, and stepped down on the first step. Stiles bit into a chapped bottom lip, and squeezed his eyes tightly shut. Derek could smell the rising panic. He could hear Stiles’ heart picking up speed.

"I – I can't..."

"Stiles, what happened?!" Derek snapped, and took a few steps forward. "Stiles!"

"Stop!" Stiles screamed, fell on his ass, and crawled back until his back hit the car. "Don't shout! Damn it!"

Derek rushed over, and kneeled in front of Stiles. "Stiles!" he snapped again, and the teen covered his ears with his hands. "Damn it!”

The scent of blood grew stronger, and Derek caught a whiff of something else; a scent that wasn't Stiles'. A scent that was too musky, too  _impure_  to be Stiles' and Derek's heart stopped.

"Fuck..." He growled.

Stiles was sobbing as tears streamed down his cheeks. He was shivering in fear, and choking on air, and Derek didn't know what to do.

"Stiles..."

"Please stop," Stiles whimpered, and pulled back even more. "Please, stop it. Make it stop hurting. Make it stop!" Derek reacted on impulse, and grabbed Stiles' shoulders. "No! Let go! Please! I don't know! I don't know anything!"

"Stiles, calm down!" Derek shouted as he pulled the struggling teen to his chest. He barely managed to cross Stiles' arms over his chest with his own arms over them to stop Stiles from hurting himself.

"Please! Stop it! I don't know anything! Please!"

Derek growled as his heart ached. "Damn it."

He cursed Scott McCall.

He cursed Gerard Argent.

He cursed himself, and the world.

"You're safe, Stiles,” he whispered in the teen’s hair. “You're safe. Calm down," he spoke in a steady tone, holding the crying teen to his chest.

Derek looked up and found his uncle and Isaac standing a few meters away from the car with a few bags around their feet. Isaac look terrified while Peter looked at Stiles with sad eyes.

"What happened to him?" Isaac asked, and Derek looked at Stiles. The teen calmed down a bit, but he still seemed unaware of where he was. Quiet whimpers escaped full lips, and tears still trailed down pale cheeks.

"Gerard Argent and his men," Peter spoke in a low growl. Derek swallowed and took a deep, calming breath.

It didn't work.

"Where is Scott?" he growled, and Stiles twitched.

"He went after Allison and her dad," Isaac said. "He said he needed to talk to her."

Derek had to try hard not to curse again. Stiles was just starting to calm down. His heart started to beat more normally, and his breathing evened out slowly.

"We need to get him somewhere safe," Peter said, and Derek looked at him.

"There's no such place."

"His house?" Isaac suggested, and the two older werewolves looked at him.

"His dad doesn't know," Peter warned, and Derek looked at Stiles who seemed to have fallen into tormented sleep. Derek swallowed difficultly, and gently picked up the sleeping teen.

"He'll find out soon enough."

**cut**

Peter looked at Derek when the Alpha covered Stiles with a blanket he found on the couch. They were in the Stilinski house, and they were waiting for the Sheriff to come home.

Isaac was sitting in an armchair beside Stiles' head. He was holding a small hand towel, and he was gently tapping it against Stiles' forehead. "Was he…"

"Yes,." Derek said before Isaac could voice his doubts.

All three of them smelled the dried blood. All three of them smelled the dried semen. All three knew without voicing it what Stiles lived through.

"What will we tell his dad?" Isaac asked.

"The truth," Peter said, and Derek looked into his eyes. "We will tell him everything we can without hurting Stiles."

"And what then?" Isaac asked, and Peter shot him a sad smile.

"Then we hope he doesn't shoot all three of us," Derek muttered. He looked at Stiles when he whimpered, and took a seat beside him.

"He's in pain," Isaac whispered, and Derek nodded.

He gulped as he pushed Stiles' hoody and shirt up only to feel rage blossom in his heart when he saw the dark purple bruises on Stiles' stomach and ribs.

"Damn it," Derek muttered.

Isaac's eyes widened when Derek gently placed his right hand on Stiles' ribs. The teen whimpered in pain, and tried to pull away, but failed. Derek frowned in concentration, and Isaac gasped when black veins started to spread up Derek's arm. He lived through further shock when he saw Stiles' bruises actually starting to fade.

"An Alpha isn't only able to take the pain away," Peter explained quietly, and Isaac looked at him. "If he wants, an Alpha can heal the injury just as easily as he can inflict it." Isaac nodded and looked at Stiles again.

Derek moved onto the next bruise. It just started to heal when the front door opened and the Sheriff walked in.

He stopped in the doorway, shock clearly written over his face. He looked at his son and the three werewolves heard Sheriff’s heart stop the moment he saw the bruises Derek didn't have time to heal. They smelled the instant worry turned to rage, and Derek looked at John with eyes flashing red.

"Don't. Shout," he growled, and John's breath hitched in his throat.

"What the hell..."

"Take a seat, Sheriff," Peter said, and stepped away from the window. "And please don't shout. Your son passed through something horrible, and he needs rest. Derek is doing what he can for him."

John looked as though he was weighing his options. Derek looked at Stiles again, and placed his hand back over the bruise he was healing. "What are you..."

"He's healing Stiles," Isaac explained, and John frowned at him, bile rising in his throat at the sight of black veins climbing up Derek's arm.

"I didn't – did those kids do this to him?" John asked, and looked at Peter who raised an eyebrow at him.

"Kids?" he asked. "Oh no, Sheriff. I don't know what your son told you happened to him, but maybe, after you sit down, we could start explaining what's going on, hm?"

John looked at Stiles again. He took a seat heavily, never looking away from Stiles' tormented expression. "What's going on here?" John asked weakly. "Why did Derek's eyes flash red, and how – how is he doing this?"

Peter smiled at John reassuringly, and took a seat in an armchair.

John's breath hitched in his throat when Peter started to shift, eyes turning blue. He shifted back, and smirked at John's bewildered expression. "Well for one,  _we_  are werewolves. Derek is our Alpha, and  _you_ , my dear Sheriff, don't even know just how big of a hero your son is."

**cut**

"So – so let me summarize," John said after Peter finished recounting everything that had happened in the last year. He swallowed, took a deep breath, and exed the drink Isaac thrust into John’s hand sometime during Peter's story telling. "10 years ago Kate Argent killed your  _Pack_."

"That's right," Peter said, and John nodded weakly.

"The only ones who survived were Derek, Laura - whom  _you_  killed - and  _you._ " Peter smiled a sad smile, and John continued. "You were the Alpha that turned Scott into a werewolf. Then you were killed by Derek, and  _he_ became an Alpha. He then turned Jackson Whittemore - who  _didn't_  become a werewolf but a  _kanima_ \- Erica Reyes, Vernon Boyd, and Isaac."

"So far so good," Peter said, and John glared at him.

"My son's been helping Scott since the get go. He lived through one dangerous situation to another, saved each one of your asses at one point or another, only for all of you to allow him to be taken by Gerard Argent and his family - who are  _hunters_ \- who are, as much as I understand, supposed to  _protect_  humanity from werewolves, but instead they  _tortured_  an  _innocent boy_ , kidnapped two  _children_ , held them  _hostage_ , because  _Derek_  bit one of them when she tried to kill Scott."

"You've missed a few crucial points but that would be correct,” Peter stated, and John stood up only to start pacing.

"We're not the bad guys here, Sheriff," Isaac spoke softly.

"I think I can make that conclusion on my own, son," John said. "Although I'm not too sure about  _you._ " He pointed at Peter who sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Something I have to live with until I prove myself," He muttered with a suffering note.

John snorted and ran his fingers through his hair. "So today you killed the kanima and Jackson became a werewolf. Erica and Boyd are missing, and Scott is  _where_?"

"He went with the hunters," Isaac pressed out through his teeth. There was a clear note of betrayal in his voice, and John felt his heart reaching out to the kid.

"So instead of checking up on his friend Scott went with those who cooked up all this," John concluded, and snorted. He looked at Stiles and pain shadowed his eyes.

Derek managed to heal most of Stiles’ wounds. He could heal all the physical ones, but John knew that there would be mental scars. Mental scars John wasn't sure even time would heal.

"Your son is strong," Peter said ad John looked at him. "Trust me when I tell you that he is not only strong but very brave as well. He stood up to me when I was crazed and bent on revenge without thinking twice about what I could do to him. He saved Derek by holding him above water for almost 3 hours. His quick wits and big heart saved all of us at one point." John snorted, and looked at them with bitterness in his eyes.

"Yeah?" he asked. "Well, why didn't one of you save  _him_?"

"Because I thought Scott cared," Derek joined the conversation finally, and everyone looked at him. "I thought Scott would be smart enough to conclude that just because  _he_  had a deal with Gerard didn’t mean that Stiles was safe. He  _knew_  Stiles worked with Isaac, Boyd, and Erica. He  _knew_  Stiles was involved. He  _knew_  Stiles couldn't protect himself. I thought…" Derek stopped, and swallowed, "I thought he would _know_  that Stiles needed protection. I thought Stiles was part of Scott's Pack. If I’d known…"

"If you had known, would you have saved him?" John asked, and Derek looked at him.

"I would have made sure he wasn't taken in the first place," Derek said, and John frowned. Derek's eyes were filled with rage, and yet behind it John could see worry. He could see how lost the young Alpha was. He could see the  _guilt_ Derek felt.

John sighed, and placed his hands on his waist. "This is one hell of a lot to take in," he muttered, and raised his right hand to rub his lips.

"You should sleep on it," Peter suggested, and John looked at him dully.

"D'rek?"

The four of them looked at Stiles. His eyes were hardly open, his voice was raspy, and he sounded broken.

"I'm here," Derek said, and placed his right hand on Stiles' forehead. "You're safe."

Stiles blinked sluggishly.

"It's Derek's power," Peter whispered to John. "For some reason Stiles responds to Derek like a Beta would to his Alpha. An Alpha  _can_  force a healing on anyone, but it worked surprisingly well on Stiles. It seems Derek's presence makes him feel safe despite everything Stiles has lived through."

John nodded although a bitter taste was in his mouth. It hurt; the fact that his son didn't believe him enough to tell him what was going on. He was supposed to protect his son, not the other way around.

"D'rek?" Stiles called weakly, and John looked at his son.

"Yes?"

"Could you – could you check up on my dad?" John's throat closed up, and his eyes filled with tears. "I didn't tell him anything. I – he doesn't know what happened. Could you just…"

"Your dad is fine, Stiles," Derek said. "Sleep. You'll see him in the morning."

"Really?" Stiles asked, and Derek snorted. Isaac smiled lightly while Peter hummed with a small smile tilting his lips. "I'm happy he's a Sheriff again, you know? I almost told him everything. I almost put him in danger by telling him about you. It's enough  _I_  know. Normal humans aren't supposed to know."

Derek frowned and looked at Isaac who was frowning as well. "Why do you think so?" Derek asked.

"Because we only get in the way," Stiles muttered. His eyes were closing and he was obviously falling asleep. "I know that. I  _always_  get in the way. I'm only human. I can't protect anyone. Can't help anyone. Couldn't help mom. Couldn't help dad. Couldn't help Scott. Couldn't help Lydia."

Derek's ground his teeth together tightly and brushed his right hand through Stiles’ hair.

"D'rek?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks." Derek's eyes widened with shock. "Thanks for caring enough as not to leave me in the woods." Derek swallowed over a lump in his throat. "I know you don’t think so, but you're a good Alpha. No matter what Scott says, you're a good guy. You've always been the good guy."

Derek's throat closed up, and he placed his right hand on Stiles’ left shoulder to give it a reassuring squeeze. "Sleep, Stiles," he whispered. "We'll talk when you feel better."

"M-kay…" Stiles muttered, and his breathing evened out as he fell asleep again. He was still frowning, but at least his breathing was easier, and he seemed to be asleep for real.

Isaac looked at Derek with confusion on his face, Peter was smiling knowingly, and John simply observed everything. His mind was loaded with questions, and he knew the only one who could answer them was Stiles.

"We should all get some rest," Peter suggested, and looked at John who cleared his throat.

"One of you can take Stiles' room, and we have a guest bedroom if all of you are staying," he said.

"I'll stay with Stiles," Derek spoke up. "Isaac, take Stiles' room. I'm sure he won't mind."

"Alright." Isaac stood up and walked out of the room after he nodded at John and Peter.

"Don't you need rest?" John asked, and Derek spared him a glance.

"I'll stay with Stiles in case he needs me," Derek said, and John nodded.

It hurt. It hurt that this  _kid_  knew what his son needed better than  _John_ did. For the thousandth time John asked himself what he did wrong. He thought he paid enough attention to Stiles considering he was working almost nonstop. 'You just answered your own question, you idiot.' John’s lips stretched into a bitter smile.

He  _didn't_  pay enough attention to Stiles. He was never home. He worked a dangerous job.

And Stiles.

Sweet, strong, smart, kind-hearted Stiles.

John’s little boy.

His son.

He grew up faster than he was supposed to.

He constantly worried about John, made sure John didn't drink, that he ate right, slept enough.

He could assume why Stiles didn't tell him anything. He could assume why he  _lied_  to him.

"John?"

He looked at Peter and the werewolf placed his left hand on John's left shoulder.

"You'll talk to him tomorrow. Come on. We're all tired."

John nodded, and looked at Stiles again. He walked over, and threw Derek a glance before he kneeled beside Stiles' head, and kissed his son’s forehead. "Sleep well, son," he muttered, and stood up. "Call me if you need me. I doubt I'll sleep well tonight."

Derek nodded. "I will."

Once they were gone Derek looked at Stiles' sleeping face. He had healed most of the bruises on the young teen. The only ones remaining were the ones Derek couldn't reach without moving Stiles and risking waking him up, the one on his face, and his split lip. Derek started to raise his right hand only to stop when Stiles whimpered. Derek covered Stiles’ left hand with his right, and the teen took a firm hold of it.

The Alpha looked at their joined hands, and something in him clenched.

He never noticed how elegant Stiles' hands were.

He never noticed how  _fragile_  they looked.

Derek raised his left hand, and gently touched Stiles' bruised cheek with the back of his fingers making Stiles frown in his sleep. "Shhhhh," he whispered before he realized what he had done.

Derek’s heart clenched when Stiles stilled immediately and sighed. The bruise disappeared slowly, and Derek looked at the small cut on Stiles' lip. He moved until he kneeled beside the couch, his right hand still firmly clasped in Stiles' left, and looked directly at Stiles' face.

It was funny actually; in a strange way at least.

Stiles always looked larger than life.

He always defied all logic.

He always stood proud.

If Derek were to be perfectly honest, he envied the younger man.

Stiles never doubted his actions. He never questioned his decisions. He wore his heart on his sleeve, and did his best even when the situation seemed hopeless.

_'Can't you trust me this_ _once?'_

Derek snorted. He rested his chin on his left arm after he placed it on the couch, with eyes focused on Stiles’ face. Whether Derek wanted to admit it or not, if there was  _anyone_  he trusted more than he trusted himself it was Stiles.

Scott's betrayal didn't hurt as much as the thought that Stiles of all people betrayed him.

Even though Derek has never shown it he knew - he simply  _knew_  that Stiles was a better man than any of them.

Scott was too involved with Allison to see further than his own nose; his own selfish needs.

Isaac, Boyd, and Erica?

Well, Isaac at least stayed even after Scott walked over him; just like he had walked over everyone else.

Heavens knew where Boyd and Erica were.

Peter? He had yet to prove he was trustworthy.

Derek doubted he could count on Jackson and Lydia. The two were too independent - too  _stubborn_  to come to him.

Now that he thought about it, Stiles was the only constant in Derek’s life ever since he came back to Beacon Hills. Derek could always count on the teen to be there when Derek needed him, no matter how Derek treated Stiles. 'Laura would laugh her ass off at this,' Derek thought and snorted, a smirk tilting a corner of his lips.

"D'rek…" Stiles breathed out in his sleep, and Derek's eyes focused on those full lips.

There was a part of him, a very small, deeply buried part of him that wondered why Stiles whispered his name while asleep. Derek swallowed, taking a deep breath.

Stiles' scent was tainted now. It wasn't that pure scent of freshly cut grass and spring rain anymore, and it bothered Derek. It bothered him in ways that  _shouldn't_  bother him.

 _'Why?'_ a voice in the back of his mind whispered. _'Why _shouldn't_  you be bothered by it? Others touched him.  _They_  hurt him.  _They_  broke him. You should be out there hunting them down like the  _animals_  they are!'_ Derek frowned at his own thoughts, and concentrated on Stiles' closed eyes. Long brown lashes rested on pale, indrawn cheeks.

Derek didn't even notice that Stiles lost weight. His cheekbones were slightly more accented than Derek remembered. He wondered when it happened. Stiles didn't look like that when they’d first met. His cheeks were fuller, and those lush lips were a slightly darker color.

Derek wondered when Stiles has started losing weight.

Was it before they faced Peter?

Was it when the kanima appeared for the first time?

Was it before or after he and Derek were trapped in the swimming pool for 3 hours?

Was it when Stiles realized his best friend was keeping secrets from him?

Did Derek have anything to do with it?

Or was the stress of having to lie to his father too much for the young man?

 _'He's not so young.'_ That voice whispered again. _'He may look young, but on the inside he's already old.'_

Derek frowned. He hadn’t even realized he had been rubbing gentle circles with his thumb into Stiles' left hand that was still holding on to Derek’s right as though it was a lifeline.

Derek focused on the steady beating of Stiles' heart and on the slow rise and fall of his chest, and with his mind full of questions Derek fell into restless sleep.

**cut**

Stiles woke up slowly to sounds of quiet talking. He took a seat only to realize a few facts.

First, the pain that he had felt yesterday was almost all gone.

Second, he was home.

Third, he had no idea how he  _got_  home.

Last thing he remembered was going to Derek's. For what reason, he didn't know. He just knew his dad wasn't home and that he couldn't be alone. He simply couldn't.

Which brought him to the fourth fact.

It was Saturday.

On Saturday his dad worked the afternoon shift.

Which means his dad was home.

Which  _also_  means, that if Stiles wasn't wrong (and he would recognize Derek's and Peter's voices  _anywhere_ ) his dad was  _in the kitchen_ , talking _peacefully_ with  _Derek and Peter Hale_.

Stiles gulped.

He knew what that meant.

He just didn't want to admit it.

He didn't want to accept it.

He stood up and winced at the pain in his lower back, and tried to walk towards the kitchen without limping. He stopped in the doorway, and gaped at the image of his father, Peter, and Derek sitting at the table with each one of them holding a cup of coffee.

"Stiles?"

His dad looked at him only to frown in worry when he saw the bewildered expression on Stiles' face.

"I'm dreaming, aren't I?" he murmured, and John snorted.

"You're not dreaming, Stiles. Come here. Peter and Derek told me a lot of interesting things."

Stiles' heart skipped a beat, and he looked at Derek. "You didn't…"

"Stiles," John interrupted him, and Stiles turned to his father, looking as though he was ready to bolt, "calm down. I'm hurt, but I'm not angry with you. I understand to a point. Come here so we can all talk, alright?"

Stiles licked his lips and walked over to the table. He took a seat, wrapped his arms around his waist, and focused on a smudge on the wooden table.

"Do you want something to eat?" John asked, and Stiles shook his head.

"Not hungry," he muttered, refusing to look up. The three older men exchanged glances. Stiles looked so small and delicate at that moment. There was not a trace of the defiant, sarcastic, snarky teen they all knew.

"Stiles…" John sighed, and Stiles dared spare him a glance. "Son, first I'd like to apologize."

Stiles raised his head in shock. "For what?"

John smiled sadly. "For thinking that I was doing a good job of being there for you. I realize that I have failed you in that aspect, and I'm sorry."

"Dad, you didn't…"

"I did. I allowed you to think that you were supposed to take care of me, that you were supposed to worry about me and protect me, when I was the one who was supposed to take care for  _you_ , worry about  _you_ _,_ and protect  _you_."

Stiles bowed his head again, and sunk lower in his chair. John looked at the two werewolves and they nodded, disappearing from sight before John could blink. He sighed and stood up.

Stiles tensed up when he heard the scraping of the chair against the wooden floor.

John frowned when Stiles flinched away from him. He steeled his resolve, placed his right hand on Stiles' left shoulder, and kneeled beside his son. "I love you, Stiles, and I'm sorry. I am really sorry for failing you, son."

"You didn't fail me, dad," Stiles whispered brokenly. "You’ve never failed me."

John swallowed difficultly, and quickly made a decision. Stiles tensed up when John wrapped his arms around him, pulled Stiles out of the chair and onto floor, and hugged the trembling boy tightly. "We'll get through this together, Stiles. I swear to you. We'll catch them all. We'll fix everything. Just don't shut me out anymore, son. Please. Let me be there for you."

Stiles gasped, and wrapped his arms around John in a desperate hug. "I'm sorry, dad! I'm so sorry! I'm sorry for everything."

John squeezed his eyes tightly shut, and buried his nose in Stiles' hair. "It's okay, son. Everything will be okay," he muttered. "Everything will be okay."

**cut**

"What's our next course of action?" Peter asked.

They were all sitting in the living room of the Stilinski house. Stiles was in an armchair in a new set of clothes, washed and cleaned, but with knees pulled up and arms wrapped around his legs.

John was seated on the left armrest of the armchair occupied by Stiles. Derek and Isaac were on the couch. Both looked surprisingly relaxed, especially Derek, and Peter was being his usual sassy self while sitting in the second armchair with legs crossed and fingers stapled in front of his mouth with elbows on the armrests.

"Does either one of you have any idea what the hunters have planned?" John asked.

"Gerard didn't die. We can be sure of that," Derek spoke up. "He's hiding somewhere, licking his wounds."

"I doubt he'll have many allies willing to work with him now," Peter said. "As much as I understand even Chris has finally seen Gerard for the monster that he is."

Stiles nodded. "Chris will want to hunt him down," he muttered. "He's a threat now. Scott…" he choked a bit on his once best friend's name and winced, "Scott will probably work with him and Allison on hunting Gerard."

"Should we look for Erica and Boyd?" Isaac asked.

"I don't know where they went after Chris set us all free," Stiles answered. "They may have run in the opposite direction."

Derek was about to say something when the doorbell rang. The werewolves looked at the doorway with matching frowns.

"Now  _this_  is surprising," Peter muttered as John stood up.

"I'll take that," he said, and left to get the door.

"Who is it?" Stiles asked, and looked at Derek who had an expression of slight surprise on his usually scowling face.

"Trust me. You'll be just as surprised as we are," Isaac said although Stiles could see some excitement on his face.

In that moment John came back in followed by none other than Lydia and Jackson who stopped in their tracks when they didn't only find Stiles there, but the three werewolves as well.

"Did we miss something?" Lydia asked with a raised eyebrow. "I thought Stiles was with Scott." She looked at Stiles who winced and pulled in on himself even more.

"Why don't you two sit down so Derek can tell you everything?" John suggested. "You want some coffee?"

"I could go for a cup," Lydia accepted and took a seat in the last free armchair. Jackson kept looking at everyone with hesitance written all over his face.

"No one will bite you, Jackson," Isaac teased with a smirk.

Jackson looked at Isaac before turned to Stiles again. Their eyes met for a second before Stiles looked away from Jackson and started fiddling with the seams of his pants. "You're different," Jackson commented, and Stiles tensed up.

"I'm not," He bit out, and Jackson frowned.

"Jackson!" Derek interrupted whatever the captain of the Lacrosse team wanted to say, and Jackson looked at the Alpha. "Take a seat. We'll tell you everything we know after  _you_  tell us why you're here."

Jackson looked at Lydia and she nodded at him. He walked over to her, and took a seat on the left armrest of her armchair.

"Jackson and I talked a lot last night," Lydia said. "We know he can't survive alone. Wolves work best in Packs. I don't doubt it's the same for werewolves."

Stiles chuckled at that, and looked at Lydia. "Could have known you'd figure  _that_  out," he said, and Lydia smiled at him while Jackson frowned.

"McCall is out of question," Jackson said and looked at Derek. "You were the one who give me the Bite. That makes you my Alpha. I know I've screwed things up, but..."

"We’ve  _all_  screwed things up," Derek interrupted him and glanced at Stiles. John came back at that moment with coffee for everyone. "What we need to do now is fix everything."

"Why are you here anyway? I thought Stilinski was part of McCall's Pack," Jackson said, and he and Lydia frowned when Stiles winced and bowed his head, John growled, and the three werewolves looked down with pained expressions.

"We thought that as well," Peter spoke, all traces of sass long gone.

"Stiles?" Lydia spoke almost _softly_ , and Stiles spared her a glance before he looked at his knees again. "Stiles, what happened?" This time her voice was firm, and Jackson frowned when Stiles' heart started picking up speed.

"Gerard took Stiles, Erica, and Boyd," Derek said. "He took Stiles so that he could force my location out of him, thinking Stiles was part of my Pack."

"Oh God…” Lydia whispered, and to the surprise of everyone in the room, stood up, walked over to Stiles, took a seat beside him, and hugged him.

She almost cried when Stiles flinched at her touch, but only hugged him tighter. After a few moments Stiles relaxed, and rested his head on her chest as she held him.

"Stiles came over to the Hale House yesterday. We came back here because it's not safe out there right now," Derek said.

"I suppose you know everything now, Sheriff," Jackson said, and John nodded.

"Yeah. I only wish I knew it sooner. Gerard would be behind bars already."

"There's nothing you could have done," Peter said, and John looked at him with a frown. "Hunters have connections everywhere. He would have gotten out of jail before you had the time to figure out what was going on. They are a crafty bunch, especially Gerard Argent."

"Chris Argent isn't like him though," Derek said, and looked at Stiles. "He lives by the Code. I have no doubt that he will go after Gerard."

"Will we join him?" Isaac asked, although he didn't sound overly happy with the idea.

"No." Derek shook his head. "Gerard  _is_  our problem. I have a bone to pick with him." His eyes flashed red. "We will hunt him on our own. Our way." Isaac and Peter nodded at the Alpha while Derek looked at Jackson, and the teen wolf frowned. "How come you came to Stiles?" Derek asked, and Jackson shrugged.

"It was Lydia's idea actually. She knew that if we wanted to find you we would have to talk to Stiles."

"I didn't know we would actually find you here," Lydia said, and looked down at Stiles with a worried frown. "Will you be staying here from now on? The Hale house isn't the best living place."

"They could," John said, and everyone looked at him in shock.

"Dad?" Stiles muttered in wonder, and John smiled sadly at his son.

"I want you safe, son. They can keep you safe," he explained. "There's room in the basement. We can make it more fitting to live in as long as this Pack doesn't grow more than it already has."

"I doubt it will," Derek said, and looked in John's eyes. "Thank you, Sheriff."

"It's John," the older man corrected the Alpha. "You said that as an Alpha you're supposed to protect your Pack. Do so and the two of us will get along nicely. Fail and I'll exchange the bullets in my gun with bullets filled with so much Wolfsbane you'll be shitting branches for a while." To everyone's surprise Stiles snickered at that.

"Stiles?" Lydia asked.

"What?" Stiles looked at Derek, "You should be happy. Dad usually threatens with death, not crippling."

Derek smirked, and John snorted.

"Does that mean you two are now officially part of our Pack?" Isaac asked with excitement written clearly over his face.

"As much as I understand Stiles  _is_  part of your Pack," John said with a clear note of warning directed at Derek.

"He is," Derek said in full conviction, and Stiles looked at him in surprise.

"What about you two?" John and looked at Jackson and Lydia.

"If we're accepted," Jackson looked at Derek, and the Alpha nodded.

"You are. You're my First Beta, Jackson, and something tells me you and Isaac will work great together," Derek said, and looked at Isaac who grinned at Jackson. If Isaac had a tail he would be wagging it from side to side in excitement. Jackson swallowed and nodded. It was obvious he was trying not to smile.

"Lydia?" Derek asked and she snorted.

"Stiles and Jackson are yours. I'm in."

"And so am I," John said, "but on one condition; no more secrets."

Stiles swallowed and looked at Derek. "Derek?" he asked, and the Alpha nodded.

"No more secrets," he agreed, and Stiles’ lips tilted into a small smile.

"We'll need to bring our things from the Hale house," Peter reminded, and Derek nodded.

"Jackson, Lydia. You two should stay with your parents. We don't want to attract too much attention. We'll arrange it so we have Pack nights regularly, and you will have to come with me and Isaac into the forest for training."

Jackson nodded, and smiled finally. "Can't wait," he said.

"Lydia, you and Stiles will need to learn a few things as well," Derek added.

"I can teach them self defense," John volunteered. "It's not much, but at least they'll be able to run away quicker." Derek nodded at that.

"Unless Stiles is willing to reconsider his decision," Peter said, and Stiles looked at him.

"About what?" he asked.

"Uncle, don't," Derek warned, and Peter raised an eyebrow at him.

"Why not? I’ve told you already. I regret nothing as I regret not biting  _Stiles_  instead of Scott. Personally, I believe Stiles would be a great werewolf."

Everyone looked at Stiles when he laughed dryly. Stiles looked at Peter with an expression no one understood. It was dark and dull, and there was something in his eyes no one could define. "I may be accepted as a member of this Pack, Peter," he said. "I don't say I'm not happy about it, but I'm not werewolf material. Nothing guarantees my ADHD would disappear with the Bite, and I sincerely doubt Derek would want to deal with a hyperactive werewolf. He'd bite my head off within a month."

"You're not exactly as hyperactive as you were before, Stilinski," Jackson drawled, and Stiles looked at him with that same dark gaze.

"You're not such a stuck up son of a bitch you were, Whittemore," he bit out.

"Stiles..."

"No, dad! Stiles snapped and stood up. "You may think that you wouldn't need to worry about me anymore, but I'm talking from experience. I don't think we need another kanima in town." He stood up and made his way out of the living room. "I'm going to my room. See you later."

"What did he mean by that?" Isaac asked in a small voice. "Why does he think he'd become a kanima?"

"He thinks we don't want him in the Pack," Peter said, and everyone looked first at him and then at Derek. "He thinks we're doing this out of obligation and guilt."

"Nonsense!" Lydia snapped. "Stiles is a great guy, and he'd make a great werewolf. He's smart, and quick witted, and he  _obviously_  has more self-control than we originally thought he has."

"So why does he think we don't want him?" Isaac asked, eyes big and full of confusion.

"Maybe because you never showed it," Peter said and looked at Derek. "Now that I think about it,  _you_  my dear nephew never offered the Bite to him. You bit Jackson when he came asking. You offered the Bite to Erica, Boyd, and Isaac, and yet you never offered it to Stiles." Derek frowned at that. "I think it's quite obvious he doesn't differ much from all of us. Why didn't you offer the Bite to him?"

Derek crossed his arms over his chest with eyes focused on the tea table in front of him. "He refused the Bite from you," Derek finally answered his Uncle’s question. "I thought he really didn't want to be a werewolf. He always had you to think of," he looked at John. "I don't think Scott's the only reason Stiles didn't run away from all that was happening. You were a major reason Stiles continued to throw himself into everything. He didn't want you in it because you work a dangerous job as it is. If he came asking for the Bite I wouldn't have hesitated. I  _know_  he'd be a good wolf; a much better wolf than Erica, Boyd, and Scott."

"Wow…" Peter hummed. "I think that's the most you've said since  _birth_."

Derek glared at Peter while others laughed quietly.

"But he's not acting like Stiles anymore," Lydia commented, and everyone looked at her. She looked Derek in the eyes and glared. "What happened to him? I want to know  _exactly_  what they did to him.”

"Now that you mention it," John looked at Derek, “you somehow managed to avoid telling me exactly  _what_  those sons of bitches did to my son. He flinched away from my touch this morning. He tensed up and flinched away from  _Lydia_!" John's voice was steadily rising. "I want to know  _what_  they did to him, because if they only beat him up he wouldn't be flinching away from touch!"

"I think you know, John." Derek looked in John's eyes.

John's breath hitched in his throat when he saw raw rage and hatred in Derek's eyes. It was so potent, such a pure and searing white, hot  _rage_  that it took John’s breath away.

It didn't need to be said.

It didn't need to be said, when John had _seen_ \- he  _had_ _seen_  the way Stiles walked, the way Stiles hesitated when he took a seat,the way he winced when he climbed the stairs.

John’s mind went blank and he saw red. "I want the Bite," he growled, and everyone in the room tensed up.

Derek frowned and slowly stood up. "Do you know what you're asking for?" he asked, and John looked at him. Derek knew that look. He saw it once in his father's eyes.

It was a look he would remember forever. His father had that look in his eyes when a guy broke up with Laura because she didn't want to sleep with him. He  _tried_  to force himself on her, but Laura was a werewolf. That son of a bitch didn't count on that. He didn't know what hit him.

Stiles wasn't a werewolf.

Stiles couldn't fight off several guys.

Stiles couldn't protect himself.

"I know. I  _want_  the Bite,” John bit out.

"It could just as easily kill you," Derek warned, and John snorted.

"Not before I tear those sorry bastards to pieces," he growled, eyes darkening dangerously.

"Stiles wouldn't want..."

"Stiles doesn't have a say in this matter!" John snapped at the Alpha, and Derek raised an eyebrow at John. "I already said I want in on all of this. Yes, you would be my Alpha. You hadn't been the best Alpha up until now, but you're young. You have a lot to learn, and you're willing to learn, and do your best. That's good enough for me."

"What if it hurts Stiles' feelings?" Peter asked, drawing John’s attention to himself.

"And what if he leaves the Pack? As much as I understand he saved your asses countless times. Whether you all want to admit it or not, you wouldn't have gotten this far without him."

"You're right about that," Derek said, and John looked at him while the others looked at Derek in surprise. He practically admitted out loud that Stiles was important to the Pack, but he also agreed that Stiles saved him more times than he cared to count. "And you're right. The way he is now, he could decide that we don't want him around, and he could leave. With you as a firm member of the Pack he would think twice before leaving."

John nodded. "He needs us. He needs all of us," he said. "He managed to jump back to normal after his mother died, but this is not something he'll manage to look over and move on. I want revenge, Hale. I want them to feel everything they put Stiles through."

"Didn't know you were such a beast, Sheriff," Peter drawled with a smirk, and John looked at him, eyes almost black with rage.

"Trust me, Peter, you've seen nothing yet." John looked at Derek again. "I said it, and I mean it. I want the Bite."

Derek nodded. "Do you have to go to work tomorrow?" he asked, and John raised an eyebrow at him.

"No."

"Tonight then." Derek said, and John’ shoulders sagged a bit.

"What about Gerard?" Jackson asked. "He was in my head for some time. I know how he's thinking. He'll want revenge. He's good at hiding, and even though his son will no longer listen to him, or want to work with him, that doesn't mean he won't find Hunters as crazy as he is."

"Seems you're not as dumb of a blonde as I thought you were," Peter teased, and Jackson glared at him while Isaac snickered.

"We'll deal with that when the time comes," Derek said. "For now we have other worries." He looked at John. Before he managed to say something he tensed up, closely followed by Isaac, Peter, and Jackson.

"Is that..."

"Well, well, well," Peter muttered, and smirked. "Look what the  _wolf_ dragged in."

Lydia and John looked at the werewolves in confusion. "What are you talking about?" John asked. In that moment the doorbell rang.

"Get in," Derek growled, and John jumped in his place when he heard the door open. A moment later they closed, and Erica and Boyd walked in. Their clothes were in tatters, but they looked well enough, save for the dirt on their faces and the fear in their eyes.

Derek crossed his arms over his chest, and the two stopped in the doorway.

Heavy silence settled over the room. The two had their heads bowed, their eyes focused on the floor, and their hands fisted by their sides.

"Well?"

The two flinched. "We're sorry."

"SORRY?!" Derek roared, and his eyes flashed Alpha red. "You RAN AWAY! You allowed yourselves to GET CAUGHT! You weren't smart enough to conclude that the Argents would catch you before you crossed the borders of Beacon Hills! You abandoned Isaac! You allowed Stiles to get…"

"WE'RE SORRY!" Erica screamed and fell to her knees, while Boyd squeezed his eyes tightly shut and his jaw tightened. "We tried to get free! We tried! We did everything we could! They took Stiles to another room, and all we could do was listen! We were too weak to save him!"

"Gerard had us shackled and attached to an electric shocker," Boyd pressed out through his teeth and raised his head to look at Derek. "We came back to check up on Stiles. We know we have no right to be here…"

"Damn right you don't."

Everyone tensed up, and turned to look at Stiles who stood in the doorway with his arms wrapped around his waist. He was pale, his eyes were dull, and everyone could see the minute trembles which shook his body.

"Stiles, you should be…"

"I heard you shouting," Stiles interrupted Derek, and the Alpha shut up, knowing that Stiles was there for a good reason.

Erica looked at Stiles, kneeling in front of him. A small smile tilted her lips, but it vanished when she saw the look in his eyes.

"Stiles..."

"You betrayed your Pack," Stile hissed, and Erica flinched away from him. She bowed her head, and leaned on her arms, while Boyd couldn't even look at Stiles. "You betrayed you Alpha. You betrayed the man who gave you the chance to be more than the meager, weak humans you both were. You..."

"They tortured us, Stiles!" Erica screamed.

"They tortured  _me_!" Stiles thundered right back at her. "All they did to  _you_  was attach you to an electric shocker; do you know what they did to me, hm?" Stiles hissed, and kneeled in front of Erica. "Do you?"

"Please, Stiles. Please…” Erica looked at him with pleading eyes. She was shaking her head as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Please, don't."

"They didn't just beat me up," Stiles pressed out through his teeth. "They  _raped_  me, Erica." Everyone in the room gasped at the admission. "Not just one of them. Gerard had all 4 of his precious  _pets_  have a turn." Stiles’ voice was filled with anger, hate, self-loathing, and bitterness.

"Stiles…"

"And still I didn't tell them anything," he growled. "You were just electrocuted, and you betrayed  _everyone_."

"I'm so sorry, Stiles," Erica whimpered, and Stiles hned. He stood up, and took a few steps back not looking at anyone.

"As far as I'm concerned you can stay," he spoke. "It all comes down to Derek. But don't talk to me, don't  _think_  of me, don't fucking  _look_  at me," with that he turned on his heel and left.

Erica whined and pulled in on herself while Boyd stood quietly by her side, his whole body shivering with shame and rage.

"I need to go to work," John whispered. "I don't know about you kids, but you screwed up big time. Derek, don't forget our deal. I'll see you in the evening."

Derek nodded at John, and the man left, and Derek looked at the two Betas. "Erica, get up," he growled, and she did so.

"I think we should go," Boyd said, and Isaac snorted.

"Running again?" he spat out, and the two flinched.

"If that's what you want then go," Derek said. "But once you leave this house, you should never come back. Run as fast as you can, because the moment you step through that door you will no longer be considered members of the Hale Pack. If you  _do_  leave, you become Omegas, and I will no longer hold an obligation to protect either one of you."

"And what if we stay?" Erica whimpered, and looked at Derek. "What if – what if we…"

"After everything you did, you  _still_  have the decency…"

"Lydia!" Derek snapped, and the strawberry blond girl glared at him.

Never the less Lydia shut her mouth and turned the glare at Erica and Boyd. "I'm going to go and check up on Stiles," she muttered, and stood up.

"Can I go with you?" Isaac asked, and Lydia smiled at him.

"Sure."

"I'm going with you too," Jackson said. "I don't feel like looking at them. I thought  _I_  was bad," he muttered, and the three left the room, leaving the two deserters alone with Derek, and Peter.

"You can stay, but I think you know how it'll be," Derek said, and the two looked at him with hope filled eyes.

"We'll do any…"

"Quiet!" Derek roared, and his eyeteeth grew a bit, eyes glowing red. "You will stay away from Stiles at all times. You won't talk to him. You won't try to approach him in any way, shape or form. You will do what I tell you,  _when_  I tell you. You will listen to Jackson, Isaac, Lydia, and Peter as if they were me. From now to until you prove yourselves, you are at the bottom of the Pack. If, and  _only_ _if_ Stiles addresses you, you will not question him, you will do what he tells you. Am I making myself clear?"

"Yes," the two said, and Derek nodded.

"I don't care where you two will be staying, but until Stiles says different you won't be staying with us. You'll be informed when a meeting will be held. You'll be going to school normally. Even though you aren't allowed to communicate with Stiles, you will be keeping an eye on him from a distance _constantly_. If  _anything_  happens to him, I will hold you responsible.”

"As you wish," the two answered, and Derek nodded.

"You're free to go," he bit out, and the two nodded. They left without a word although Erica hesitated at the bottom of the stairs before she followed Boyd.

"I didn't know you had it in you, nephew," Peter drawled, and Derek looked at him over his left shoulder.

"I'm the Alpha. I need to keep the best interest of my Pack in sight. They are still my Betas. I couldn't abandon them, and the more there are of us, the safer Stiles and Lydia will be."

"Stiles and Lydia? Or  _Stiles_?" Peter stressed out, and Derek frowned. Peter chuckled, and shook his head. "You are  _so_  oblivious, Derek," he muttered.

"To what?" Derek asked, and Peter winked at him.

"Now, what kind of Uncle would I be if I told you everything?" he teased, and Derek growled.

"You would be my Beta," he pressed out through his teeth, and Peter raised an eyebrow at Derek in amusement.

"I'll do my job in training John, Isaac, and Jackson. If you send Erica and Boyd to me, I'll train them as well.  _You_  my dear nephew should spend as much time as you can with Stiles."

"He's afraid…"

"And yet he held on to your hand the whole night," Peter interrupted Derek, and the Alpha frowned. "He feels safe around you, Derek. Damn it he  _suffered_  for you. He  _suffered_  to stop Gerard Argent from finding you. He's not afraid of you. If I had to take a wild guess, I'd say he's afraid  _for_  you. Just like he fears for his father." Derek's eyes filled with confusion. Peter sighed, and shook his head. "You are still so  _young_."

Derek glared at him. "Maybe if you stopped speaking in _riddles_ …"

"Now, now, now," Peter interrupted Derek again and smirked. "Where's the fun in that?"

Derek rolled his eyes, and took a seat.

"Fine. You don't have to tell me."

Peter smirked.

'I'll figure it out myself.'

**cut**

Lydia looked at Isaac and Jackson before she knocked on Stiles' door. "Stiles? Can we come in?" she asked.

"Sure."

She heard Stiles' muffled voice, and entered his room. It was strangely  _clean_. She looked at Jackson and Isaac again, and then at Stiles. The teen was lying on the bed with his back facing the door. The window was sealed shut, and the drapes were pulled over it tightly so no light came through.

"Stiles?" she whispered and walked over to the bed.

"I'm not good company right now, Lyds," he muttered. Lydia sighed, and toed off her shoes to the surprise of Isaac and Jackson. She walked over to Stiles' bed, and took a seat.

"Move over, you big lump," she muttered, and Stiles raised his head to shoot her a dull glance.

She pushed him lightly before she lied down, wrapped her arm around his waist, and buried her face between his shoulder blades. Stiles looked at Jackson, and Isaac with wide eyes full of questions. The two exchanged a glance, shrugged, and then proceeded to take off their shoes and jackets before they walked over to the bed. Jackson lied down behind Lydia, and threw his left arm over her only to place it on Stiles' stomach. Stiles tensed up, and a shiver wrecked his body.

"The bed's too small!" Isaac whined as he tried to find a place for himself. "A-ha!" he cheered, and grinned. He rounded the bed, and started pushing Stiles towards Lydia, until he managed to lie down, and pulled Stiles practically on top of himself. Stiles was too shocked to do anything but go with it. Isaac threw his right arm behind his head, and hugged Stiles to his chest with his left.

Stiles was as stiff as a board. Lydia threw one leg over Stiles', and Jackson did so as well, while Stiles had one leg between Isaac's, and the slightly younger teen crossed their ankles.

"Relax, Stiles," Lydia whispered, and nuzzled her face against Stiles’ back.

Stiles swallowed, and closed his eyes. He rested his head on Isaac's chest, and felt the youngest werewolf rest his chin on top of his head.

No one said a word for a long while, and Jackson and Isaac seemed to be listening to what was going on downstairs.

"What did Derek decide?" Stiles asked in a small voice after some half an hour.

"He allowed Erica and Boyd to stay, but laid down some ground rules," Isaac informed him. "Basically they're on the bottom of the food chain."

"I shouldn't have been so…"

"Don't even  _think_  that," Lydia interrupted Stiles, and Jackson hummed in agreement.

"It's their fault. They never should have left," he added.

"But..."

"Stiles, don't," Lydia cut him off. "Don't try to justify them, alright? Forget about those two and focus on yourself for once."

Stiles swallowed, and nuzzled closer to Isaac. Surprisingly, this didn't bother him as much as he thought it would. He even felt somehow  _safe_. "What did you talk about when I left?" he asked. He couldn't stand the silence. He couldn't stand it. His mind was running in circles all the time, and he just couldn't handle it right now.

"Your dad figured out what they did to you," Lydia said, and Stiles tensed up before Lydia started rubbing soothing circles in his back. Jackson unconsciously started rubbing small circles in Stiles' stomach, and Isaac was playing with the seams of Stiles' hood. "He asked Derek to turn him."

"Wh…"

"Don't move, and listen." Lydia said, and Stiles listened to her, although he was tense again. "It's what he wants. I would ask for the Bite if I knew it would work this time." Lydia said, and Stiles fell quiet, knowing there was no sense arguing with Lydia.

He was warm.

He was safe.

He was cuddled between two werewolves, and the smartest girl of their generation, of _course_ he felt safe.

“You don’t need to be a werewolf, Lyds,” Stiles whispered after a few long minutes. “You’re already strong enough.”

Silence settle over them again with Isaac, Lydia and Jackson pulling themselves as close to Stiles as they could.

Lydia sighed, and smiled when Jackson nuzzled against her neck. She was happy. Jackson was back. He was a werewolf now, but that didn't matter. They were together again, and now they were part of a Pack.

Jackson was at peace. He finally found a place where he belonged.

Isaac was practically thrilling. Maybe now they would be a real Pack; a  _real_ _family_.

Stiles was slowly falling asleep. Surprisingly his mind was quiet. He shifted slightly, and winced when Lydia's leg bumped against his ass, and a shiver of pain ran up his back.

"Sorry, S..."

"It's okay," Stiles groaned. His breath hitched in his throat when Isaac pushed his right hand under Stiles’ shirt. "What are you-..."

"Relax. I'm trying to make you feel better," Isaac said.

Stiles' eyes widened when he actually felt the pain going away. "Didn't know you could do that," he muttered, and everyone laughed quietly when he yawned.

"Sleep, Stiles. We'll be here when you wake up," Lydia said, and hugged Stiles tightly.

As Stiles fell asleep to their mixed scents and steady breathing, the last thing he heard from Lydia actually brought a small smile on his face.

"We'll always be here."

**cut**

**Poor Stiles. My heart is crying for him. T-T**


	2. Painful Encounters

**cut**

_If you're going through Hell, keep going._

_\- Winston Churchill_

**cut**

"Where are Derek and my dad?" Stiles asked when he came down into the kitchen and found Isaac and Peter sitting at the table.

"They went to the old Hale house. Your dad insists on receiving the Bite, and Derek didn't want to do it here," Peter answered, gifting Stiles with a small, reassuring smile.

Stiles swallowed and paled. "Why didn't he come to talk with me? What if he…"

"Stiles," Peter stopped him, and Stiles looked at him with wide eyes shadowed with fear. "Your dad is a strong man. He'll survive the transformation, I'm sure of it."

Stiles looked at Isaac and saw that same certainty written all over his face. "Come here. You hadn't eaten anything all day," Isaac said, and offered a hand to Stiles.

The human teen swallowed difficultly and accepted it. Stiles laughed weakly when Isaac led him over to the table and made him take a seat before taking cereals and milk. "You call that eating?" Stiles murmured, and Isaac blushed.

"I'm not the best cook in the world. Most of the time I screw up _pasta_."

Stiles chuckled, and Peter smiled at the two teens. "Sit down. I'll make us something."

"Stiles…"

"I need - I need to do something, Isaac," Stiles interrupted the taller teen. "Please? Besides..." Stiles gifted Isaac with a small smile, "I have no doubt that Derek and dad will want to eat something when they come back home.”

Isaac grinned. "Home?" his eyes glowed happily and Stiles chuckled.

Peter's heart warmed at the image Stiles made when he was smiling. He never regretted anything as he regretted turning Scott instead of Stiles; nothing at all.

"Yeah, Isaac,” Stiles said. "Home."

If Isaac had a tail he would be wagging it like mad. "So, what are you making?" Isaac asked and took a seat while Stiles snickered.

"You'll see soon enough."

**cut**

"You think it'll be good this way?" Stiles asked as he, Peter, and Isaac looked around the basement they redecorated into something more fitting for living. They used the things Derek and Peter brought over while Isaac, Stiles, Lydia, and Jackson slept.

The basement consisted of three separate rooms. They unpacked some of Stiles' and John's old things. They found a few old couches they never remembered to throw away, and a low rickety tea table. They also found Stiles' old bed and mattress, and put it in one room, together with a small wardrobe. In the third room they placed the things they salvaged from the Hale house, which consisted of the chest Derek always carried with himself, an old bed, and a few other small things.

"Good enough for now," Peter muttered, and Isaac grinned.

"It's perfect," he said, and Stiles laughed quietly.

In the next moment Peter and Isaac tensed up, and all cheer Stiles has felt a second ago vanished into thin air. "What? What is it?" Stiles asked, voice filling with panic.

Isaac's grin almost split his face, and Peter let go of a sigh of relief. "They're back," Peter said, and Stiles' heart skipped a beat.

He turned on his heel and ran up the stairs, only to stop in his tracks when he found his dad and Derek standing in front of the entrance door. John's shirt was ripped on his wrist and there were traces of blood, but he was neither pale nor did he look like he was dying.

"Hey, S..." if John were still human his breath would have been kicked out of him from the force Stiles threw himself on him with, "Stiles…"

"I was so worried," Stiles whispered in John's neck.

John wrapped his arms around Stiles, holding his newly acquired and still growing strength in check. He looked at Peter and Isaac when Derek walked over to them. The three were smiling at him and Stiles. John smiled at them and buried his face in his son's neck, breathing in his scent.

"Everything will be alright now, Stiles. I promise. Everything will be alright," John said and felt Stiles shiver against him.

"I know, dad," Stiles whispered, and hugged him tighter. "I know."

**cut**

"You call that  _running_?! Faster!" John snapped at Isaac, Jackson, Boyd, and Erica.

The whole Pack was at the Hale House. Peter and Derek were sitting beside Lydia and Stiles in the shade while John oversaw the training of the four young werewolves.

John had adapted surprisingly quickly to being a werewolf. In only two weeks he achieved a great level of control that matched Peter's easily.

After the initial few days, the Pack fell into a routine. Stiles and Lydia started learning self-defense from John and they were progressing nicely. Stiles talked with Deaton and the kind man gave him a book of spells, and told Stiles that if he needed any help at all to just come to Deaton.

Stiles and Lydia were eager students, and after only two weeks they were already at the middle of the book with the spells memorized and perfected.

Scott was nowhere to be found. They heard no word from him or the Argents.

With the Full Moon closing in on them, they were all growing restless, not only because it would be John's first Full Moon, but because they  _still_  didn't know what happened with Gerard.

"This one seems useful. Ve _ry_  useful," Lydia muttered, and Stiles looked away from his notes at the page Lydia was studying.

"Are those runes?" Stiles asked, and Lydia nodded.

"They are. They are protection runes. As much as I understand you write them on specific places in a house or whatever room you want to protect. Then you have to make a paste out of mountain ash, avens, benzoin, cumin, and feverfew. You fill the runes with the paste and burn it."

Stiles hummed. "When's it best to do that?"

"Sickle Moon," Lydia sighed. "Wish we found it earlier," she muttered, and Stiles hummed.

"We can still do it," he said and took the book from Lydia to read about the spell. "Look. Avens makes it impossible for an unwanted person or someone undesired to enter the house. The one performing the ritual must be the one to lead everyone into the place protected by the runes. Once they  _do_  that, the person can come in and out freely until the performer verbally forbids them from entering."

"You should do it."

Stiles looked up when Derek leaned over him to look at the book with arms crossed on the backrest of Stiles' chair. The teen gulped, and his heartbeat stuttered.

Ever since they’ve started living together Derek was constantly around Stiles. The only time when he  _wasn't_  was when Stiles was at school.

Stiles didn't know if Derek knew what his closeness did to Stiles. He didn't know if Derek even understood why Stiles’ heart skipped a beat every time Derek would pass beside him, or say Stiles’ name, or accidentally touch him or look at him or – well, you know.

For the first few days Stiles couldn't help the constant flinching. Then one night he and Derek were alone at home. Stiles fell asleep only to have the same nightmare again. Since his father slept on the same floor as Stiles, he was the one who would come wake Stiles up from the nightmare. But his dad wasn't home, and neither was Isaac.

It just started getting worse. In his nightmare Stiles couldn't see their faces. He was back in that small room, and they were hitting him, and tying him up. He knew what would come next. He knew the pain that would come, the feeling of fear, and helplessness, and disgust.

But it never came.

Instead he woke up being held against Derek's chest with the werewolf whispering to him that he was safe, that everything would be alright, and that they would never hurt him again.

From that moment on, Stiles could say that he started noticing - alright,  _admitting_  that he was attracted to Derek.

And that brought him nothing but sleepless nights, and more thoughts of inadequacy and bitterness.

Derek would never want Stiles.

Stiles was human.

He was dirty.

He was used goods.

Derek would never want him.

Besides, Derek wasn't even gay! Hell, he wasn't  _bi_!

But try as he might Stiles couldn't stop his heart from skipping a beat whenever Derek was nearby.

"Stiles?"

Stiles flinched and looked up at Derek only to realize that everyone was staring at him. "What?"

"I called you at least 5 times," Derek said with a worried frown. "Are you feeling alright?" he asked, and Stiles frowned.

"I – I'm sorry. Must have spaced out," he muttered and looked at the book.

"You never space out, Stiles," Lydia said, and Stiles shot her a small glare.

"There's a first time for everything," he bit out and looked at the book stubbornly, missing the significant glance Peter shot at Derek, and the way John rolled his eyes.

Derek glared at Peter and shook his head. The teens barely covered their grins. Lydia rolled her eyes only to smile and lean closer to Stiles when the teen looked at her.

Derek showed Peter to come to the side while John shouted at the young werewolves to gather up so that he could match them up for sparring.

Lydia engaged Stiles into a discussion about the spell while Peter and Derek walked to the side.

"Dear nephew of mine, would you  _please_  be so kind and explain to me  _why_  you haven't made your move yet?" Peter asked in exasperation, and Derek glared at him, eyes flashing red for a second.

"Maybe because he was  _raped_  not  _three weeks ago_?" Derek growled under his breath.

"And what about the fact that he actually  _likes_  you?" Peter stressed out.

"Just because his heart beats irregularly around me doesn't mean he  _likes_  me, Uncle. It could also mean that he's  _afraid of me_!" Derek hissed.

"He's not afraid of you," John's voice carried over to them. He had his back turned on them with his arms crossed over his chest, but he was obviously listening to them, although he was focused on the teens practicing in front of him. "He actually _likes_  you."

Derek rolled his eyes, and snorted.

"You say that as though it is a bad thing," Peter commented, and John snorted.

"I'd rather he be with Derek for whom I  _know_  will protect him and treat him the way he deserves to be treated then with some stupid kid who will play with him." Derek gulped. "Besides. I can always shoot you." Derek choked up at that, and Peter covered his mouth with his right hand as not to laugh out loud.

Derek took a small step back with a frown.

Alright, he  _did_  like Stiles.

Not just  _like_.

He  _wanted_  Stiles.

He  _wanted_ the teen for himself _._

He wanted to be the one Stiles would look to for protection. He wanted to be the one Stiles smiled at, the one Stiles got angry with for not taking proper care of himself, the one Stiles looked at with fondness when he'd do something stupid, the one Stiles would scream at for risking his life.

Derek wanted to be the one Stiles  _loved_.

He wanted to help Stiles.

He wanted to hold him.

He wanted to love him.

He  _did_  love him.

Peter snickered when Derek's eyes widened. He could practically  _see_  the wheels turning in Derek's head. "So?" he asked, and Derek looked at him, "Will you  _finally_  make a move?"

Derek swallowed difficultly. "I…" he hesitated. "I will.  _But not immediately,_ " he stressed out when Peter sighed, and John snickered.

"Don't take too long," Isaac's voice suddenly joined the fray. "Someone might steal him away."

Derek growled at that.

"I heard Danni talking with Steven today at school," Jackson spoke up. "Steven wants to ask Stiles out but doesn't know if Stiles is gay or not."

Derek's eyes glowed red at that, and every single werewolf on the field shivered.

"That's some serious competition there, Derek," Peter muttered, and Derek glared at him.

"Fine," he growled. "I'll talk to him about it the first chance I get."

Peter smiled at Derek widely. "Good boy."

"I'm still your Alpha," Derek warned, and Peter raised his hands in surrender.

"Fine. Fine. Don't bite my head off." Peter all but  _ran_  over to Stiles and Lydia.

"Wrap it up for today!" John snapped. The teen wolves breathed sighs of relief and gathered around John. "Erica, Boyd; you're free to go."

The two exchanged a glance before they looked at Derek.

"I thought you were told to leave," Derek said, and the two winced.

"We just wanted to talk," Erica said and took a step forward. Her gaze strayed to Stiles for a second, and Derek growled in warning.

"We're doing everything you want us to do," Boyd said. "We just…"

"You just  _what_?" Derek growled and took a step forward, making the two teens take a step back. "You…"

"Derek."

Derek stopped immediately when Stiles spoke up from behind him. He looked at the teen when Stiles walked over to him, and placed his hand calmingly on Derek’s forearm. Derek raised an inquisitive eyebrow at Stiles, and the teen sighed, before turning to Erica and Boyd, and taking a step towards them.

"What did you want to talk about?" Stiles asked, and Erica smiled at him weakly.

"Stiles, we just wanted to tell you how…"

"Sorry you are?" Stiles finished for her, pursed his lips, and nodded his head, gaze darting to the side. "Erica, do you have nightmares?" he asked, and Erica looked at him in wonder.

"I – I – No." She bowed her head in shame, and Stiles hummed.

"Boyd?"

"No," the tall teen said, and Stiles nodded.

"Erica, do you flinch when someone touches you?"

Erica paled. "No," she whispered, and started pulling back. Stiles raised an eyebrow at Boyd, and the huge teen wolf shook his head.

"Does either one of you wake up choking on his own breath, on the verge of a panic attack? Do you constantly look over your shoulders because you feel as though they're just around the corner, and no matter what your Alpha does, no matter what your friends do, they'll catch you, and do all those horrible, horrible things to you? Do you wake up in the middle of the night with the taste of someone's  _dick_  on your  _tongue_?! Do you?!" The two flinched back, and Erica whimpered. "DO YOU?!"

"No!" Erica snapped, and Stiles snorted.

"Thought so," he muttered. "You've had your talk with me." Stiles turned on his heel, and walked away.

"Stiles!" Erica called out to him, and jumped to run after Stiles only to have Derek grab her arm and Lydia stop right in front of her.

"You're really not all that smart, are you?" Lydia said, and Erica sneered at her.

"I just wanted…"

"You're a constant reminder of what happened to him!" Lydia snapped.

"Isaac, go after Stiles," Derek ordered, and Isaac nodded.

"On it."

"We didn't…"

"You don't have to do anything, Boyd," Peter said. "Every times Stiles sees you he remembers Gerard and that basement. Every time you speak, he remembers. Every time you're mentioned, he remembers. Why do you think he hasn't been to a single Pack Meeting?"

"I didn't…"

"You didn't  _think_ ," Jackson interrupted Erica, and she glared at him.

"Enough," Derek interrupted them, and everyone looked at him. "I think that was more than enough contact with Stiles for you. A week ago we could hardly touch him without him flinching. Last night was the first time he slept through the night. If he regresses back to either…"

"Derek, please…"

"If he regresses back to either one of those things, you will be banned from practice!" Derek interrupted Erica. "You'll have separate training times. You're both free to go."

The two exchanged a glance before they turned their backs on the Pack and left.

"Derek…"

"No, Peter," Derek said, and looked at his uncle. "Stiles just started opening up again. I know he  _chose_  to talk to them, but I will  _not_  have him in pain because those two can't understand what he's going through."

"All the more why you should talk to him as soon as possible," John said, and Derek looked at him with a confused frown. John sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Right now, Stiles is in a very dark place. What he lived through makes him associate everything with it."

"I don't…"

"Derek…." John sighed. "Think of it this way. Image your wolf being your worst nightmare; everything you fear. Then imagine your human side as everything you are. Now, everything you are is being suppressed by your worst nightmare. It haunts you. It’s slowly killing you from inside. Now, as a werewolf, you can keep your wolf in the back of your mind; you can control it. Picture the Full Moon as something that reminds you of the nightmare; something that makes you fall into it." Derek's eyes widened as he slowly caught on to what John was trying to tell him. "How do you resist the call of the Moon, Derek?"

"By focusing on my Anchor," Derek said, and fisted his hands. He understood. He really did.

"So you're saying Stiles just needs an Anchor," Lydia concluded, and John nodded.

"He needs something to keep him grounded. Today he lost his ground with Erica and Boyd. He needs his Anchor." John looked at Derek. "And as much as I'm not overjoyed about it, it's not me I'm talking about."

"You know that once I do this, I won't let him go, especially if he accepts the Bite one day," Derek warned, and John snorted with a small smile.

"Trust me, son," he said, and Derek shivered at the endearment. "I doubt he'll want you to let go."

Derek nodded. "Jackson, Lydia. You're free to go. Stick together, alright?"

"As you wish," Lydia said.

"We'll see you tomorrow?" Jackson asked, and Derek nodded.

"Sure. Get some rest."

Jackson smiled and nodded. "Will do."

Derek nodded at them, and they left. "Peter, I'd like to speak to John."

Peter nodded. "I'll see you home," he said, and ran off. Derek turned to face John, and the man raised an eyebrow at him.

"What is it?" John asked, and Derek took a deep breath.

"I know I'm your Alpha," Derek started, and looked John straight in the eyes, "but I'm asking this as a man, not the leader of your Pack." John frowned. "Do you have anything against me being with Stiles?"

John snorted. "I have A LOT against it. First and foremost Stiles is young. You're what… 26?" Derek frowned and nodded. "But that's just the worried father speaking." Derek's frown turned to one of confusion. "As a father, I'm supposed to make sure my son's happy and safe. I’ve failed in that before."

Derek was about to say something, but John just shook his head.

"Also, there is the fact that I've gotten to know you quite well. I  _know_ you’ll be good for Stiles. I  _know_  he would never be happy with some stupid teen that’d pull on Stiles’ heart strings, and break them piece by piece. He  _is_  young, but he also lived through hell." John walked over to Derek and placed his right hand on Derek’s left shoulder. "If Stiles was a normal kid I would never allow you two to be together, but in this situation, you're my first choice."

Derek swallowed, and nodded his head. "Thank you, John."

Said man nodded at Derek, and smiled a small smile. "Of course, if I turn out to be wrong, and you intentionally hurt him, I'll kill you."

Derek snorted and chuckled while John winked at him.

"Come on. I'm sure everyone's home by now. Let's go."

Derek nodded, and they ran towards town. 'Yeah. Let's go  _home_.'

**cut**

Stiles was wringing his hands together in obvious nervosas.

Except no one was there to see it.

Derek, Peter, and John ran off into the woods because Erica and Boyd weren't able to perform their scouting duties today due to them being in school. They missed a lot of classes, and they had to stay behind to make up for it. The three went together to be done with it quicker. Jackson and Lydia both had to stay home today; parents' orders.

So it was just Isaac and Stiles until Isaac got called by Deaton, because the man needed help at the clinic.

Then it was just Stiles.

He knew Derek, Peter, and his dad could be home any minute, but that didn't make him feel any better.

Stiles snorted and laughed hysterically as he took a seat in an armchair, pulled his legs up, and hugged them to his chest.

This was the first time that he was alone since  _that_  happened and everyone found out.

There was always,  _always_  someone around.

It was too quiet, and Stiles' mind was running in circles.

He started getting better, he really did, but at times when he was alone he would start thinking, and thinking never meant anything good for him, because when he started thinking he started remembering, and when he started remembering?

That was when things got nasty.

In the next moment the doorbell rang, and Stiles jumped to his feet. His breath started coming out in short gasps, his heart was beating loudly in his ears, and he started shaking. The doorbell rang again, and Stiles twitched. He slowly walked into the hallway, and towards the door. Behind the tinted glass was a familiar figure, and Stiles' breath hitched in his throat.

Stiles couldn't pretend he wasn't home.

 _He_ must have heard the frantic beating of Stiles’ heart.

"Stiles, come on! I  _know_  you're home!"

Stiles swallowed, and rushed over to unlock to door. He opened them and looked at Scott's grinning face. "Scott?" Stiles asked, and the teen wolf's grin faded a bit.

"Stiles? What happened to you, man?" he asked, and moved to enter only to stop when Stiles didn't move to the side. Scott frowned, and looked in Stiles' eyes. "Stiles, what are you doing?"

"What am  _I_  doing?" Stiles asked, and frowned. "It's been three fucking weeks, Scott! You weren't at school! You didn't call! You did NOTHING!" Stiles snapped, and Scott took a small step back with hurt written all over his face.

"I'm sorry, Stiles, I just…"

"You just WHAT?! Were too busy screwing Allison to give your supposed  _best friend_  a  _call_?"

"We were trying to track down Gerard! I…"

"I needed you, Scott!" Stiles cried out, and Scott frowned. "You kept secrets from me, you  _lied_  to me, and then you just packed up and left!"

"Stiles, I needed to take care of it! Allison..."

Stiles snorted, and rolled his eyes. "It's always,  _always_  about  _Allison_!" he bit out, and Scott's frown turned into a glare.

"What are you…"

"Damn it, Scott!" Stiles cursed. "Don't you see what you're doing?"

Scott looked around when an old lady came around a corner. "Can we go inside? I'm not…"

"Get in!" Stiles spat out, and walked into his house, going straight for the living room. Scott followed him but hesitated when a familiar scent tickled his nose. He didn't remember Stiles' house smelling like this. It was a familiar scent which made Scott feel quite uncomfortable.

Scott entered the living room and found Stiles pacing. "Stiles, look. I'm sorry, okay? Allison was brokenhearted. Her  _grandfather_ …"

"He tricked her, yeah," Stiles said, stopped pacing, and looked at Scott. "Well boo- _fucking_ -hoo!" Scott glared at Stiles for that. "Maybe  _now_  she'll learn to think for her- _fucking_ -self!"

"Stiles…"

"WHAT!" Stiles snapped at him. "Perfect, little, innocent,  _beautiful_  Allison! Don't you  _fucking_  remember what she  _fucking_ _did_?! She tried to kill you! She tried to kill Derek! Her  _mother_  tried to kill you! Her  _dad_  beat up Jackson and me! Her _grandfather_ , who  _you worked with behind my back_ , kidnapped me and tortured me!"

Scott's eyes widened at that. "I didn't-…"

"You didn't  _know,"_  Stiles bit out sarcastically and snorted. "Well, that just makes everything better, doesn't it?"

Scott frowned and bowed his head a little. That scent just wouldn't leave him alone. It was familiar,  _very_ familiar. He just couldn't place it.

"All you cared about was your perfect little hunter-girlfriend. All you cared about was  _your_  selfish need, and what about  _me_ , Scott?" Stiles hit his chest with his hands, and Scott winced at the bitterness in Stiles' voice.

He could see it. He could see that Stiles lost weight, that his eyes were dull, that he seemed nervous, and – God, why couldn't he place that scent! It smelled almost like…

Like the Hale house.

Stiles knew Scott good enough to know the teen just figured something out.

"Stiles?" Scott swallowed, and looked Stiles dead in the eyes, " _Why_  does your house smell like the Hale house?" he pressed out through his teeth, and Stiles tensed up. It took all his self-control not to step back.

"It doesn't smell like the Hale House, Scott,." Stiles said, trying with everything he had to stand strong in front of his once best friend. He had nothing to hide, nothing to be ashamed of. Especially not in front of Scott. "It smells like  _Pack_."

Scott's eyes flashed yellow. "What are you talking about?" he growled and took a step forward while Stiles snorted and smirked ironically.

"What am I talking about?" he asked. "I'm  _telling_ you that  _my_   _House_  smells like  _Pack_."

"It smells like  _Derek_!" Scott snapped.

"Because  _Derek,_  unlike you, didn't leave me behind! He didn't abandon me! He didn't  _lie_  to me!" Stiles screamed and Scott took a surprised step back. "You  _didn't know_  Gerard took me! You didn't know he  _tortured me_! You didn't – you…"

"Stiles!"

"Stay away from him!"

Scott stood rooted to his spot.

Stiles just collapsed under a panic attack.

Derek, Peter, and John rushed in almost at the same time the moment Stiles’ knees betrayed him.

Right now Derek was holding Stiles against his chest with his arms wrapped around Stiles and lips leveled with Stiles’ right ear, whispering soothing words as the teen struggled to breathe.

"What are you doing here, Scott?" John asked threateningly and Scott turned to look at him with a shocked countenance.

Three weeks.

Scott has been gone for three weeks and all of a sudden Stiles hated him, Stiles’ house smelled like Derek and his Pack, and Sheriff Stilinski was glaring at Scott as though the teen wolf was to blame for everything.

"I – I just came to talk with Stiles," Scott stuttered.

"That didn't sound like talking to me," John answered in a threatening growl.

"Stiles calm down. It's okay. You're safe. It's fine. Breathe with me, Stiles. Breathe,” Derek whispered with Stiles’ head tucked under his chin. The younger man's hands were fisted in Derek's leather jacket, and he was holding on to Derek as though he was Stiles’ lifeline.

"What happened?" Scott asked in confusion.

"You left," Peter said and Scott looked at him. "Your best friend was kidnapped and tortured, and you left. You didn't even see that he was hurt. You didn't see that he needed you. You just  _left_."

John nodded, and looked at Scott who gaped when John's eyes turned yellow for a second. "He turned you," Scott whispered.

"I asked for the Bite," John said. "I asked for it because I knew that the only way to keep Stiles around was to become a solid member of the Pack. We are Pack now, Scott. I don't think you should stick around right now."

Scott looked at Derek and glared at him. "You did this."

"No, Scott," Derek answered, suspiciously calm, and looked at Scott with darkened eyes. " _You_  did this."

"Wh-…"

" _You_  abandoned Stiles when he needed you most so he came to  _me._   _You_  didn't see he was hurt and broken.  _I_  did.  _We_  did," Derek counted, and Scott took a small step back. He looked at Stiles who had his eyes tightly shut and who was clinging onto Derek as though he was the only thing keeping Stiles sane at the moment.

"I didn't know," Scott whispered. His eyes looked at the three grown men imploringly, but he found no sympathy there. "I swear, I didn't know."

"More like you didn't  _want_  to know." Scott looked behind Peter and John, and saw Isaac standing there. He had his arms crossed over his chest and he was looking at Scott with accusation written all over his face.

"Isaac…"

"You abandoned him, Scott. We thought he was part of  _your_  Pack," Peter said. "And you practically  _left him to the wolves_."

Scott growled at Peter, eyes flashing yellow.

"You shouldn't have come, Scott," Isaac said. "Stiles was just starting to get better."

"He's my best friend…"

"Don't. Shout." Derek growled warningly, and Scott felt a shiver run down his spine when Stiles whimpered and instead of pushing himself away from Derek moved even closer to the Alpha. "I may not be the most knowledgeable one when it comes to friendship, but I  _do_ know that friends don't abandon one another. Stiles never abandoned you. I'm sure of that."

" _Leave_ , Scott," John said. "When, and  _if_ Stiles is ready, he'll seek you out. You should leave for your own good.”

Scott gulped as he looked at Stiles again before he nodded in shame and started to walk towards the door. Before Scott managed to get out Isaac grabbed his right forearm with his left hand and looked into Scott’s wide eyes.

"You can tell Allison and Chris that if we smell them anywhere  _near_  Stiles, we'll consider it a threat," Isaac warned and Scott's eyes widened. " _We hunt those who hunt us_  – isn't that right, Scott?" Isaac's eyes flashed yellow, and Scott swallowed before Isaac let him go, and Scott all but ran out of the house.

"Didn't know you had it in you, kid," John muttered as he walked over to Derek and Stiles, and Isaac laughed darkly.

"With all due respect sir, you haven't seen anything yet." John chuckled and shook his head before he looked down at Stiles who finally seemed to have calmed down as Derek brushed his right hand through Stiles’ hair and rubbed soothing circles in the distressed teen’s back.

"He's falling asleep," Derek murmured, and John nodded.

"You should take him to his room."

"I'll stay with him. Call me if you need anything," Derek said, picked Stiles up making his way towards Stiles’ room. He walked in and immediately went over to Stiles' bed. He was about to lay Stiles down, but the moment he tried that the teen whimpered and held on to Derek more tightly.

Derek's heart skipped a beat, and he swallowed over a lump in his throat. He took a seat carefully, and toed off his shoes. With all the care in the world he arranged himself on the bed so that Stiles was practically sleeping on him. He wrapped his arms around the smaller man, and somehow managed to pull the blanket over the both of them.

He felt warmth grip his heart and a small smile tilted his lips when Stiles finally relaxed, only to nuzzle against Derek. His grip on Derek’s jacket didn't weaken, but at least Stiles wasn't as tense as he was minutes ago.

"D'rek?" Stiles whispered, and Derek frowned. He didn't realize Stiles was awake.

"Yeah?" Derek was unconsciously rubbing soothing circles in Stiles' back with his left hand. The smaller man shivered, and Derek realized what he was doing.

"Dun stop," Stiles murmured, and Derek's heartbeat stuttered.

"I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable. I don't want you to be afraid of me," Derek said.

"N'ver." Stiles let go of Derek's jacket only to tuck his left hand under his cheek, and wrap the right around Derek's waist. "You smell nice," he muttered, and Derek chuckled. He raised his left hand and gently caressed Stiles' right cheek with it.

"Sleep, Stiles," Derek said and on impulse kissed the crown of Stiles' head. "Sleep."

To Derek's surprise Stiles fell right to sleep.

Derek took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He concentrated completely on Stiles, trusting John and Peter to keep an eye and ear on everything.

Stiles' heartbeat.

Stiles' breathing.

Stiles' scent.

A small smile tugged on Derek's lips.

It was going back to normal; Stiles' scent that is. The scent of fresh cut grass and rain.

But now it was mixed with all of their scents.

He could smell John on Stiles, from when the man hugged Stiles earlier that day.

He could smell Peter on the teen, from when his uncle clapped Stiles' back before they left.

He could smell Isaac, Jackson, and Lydia on Stiles from last night when they’ve watched a movie together, the three teens piled up on Stiles on the floor in a nest of blankets and pillows.

And finally, Derek could smell himself on Stiles.

And  _heavens_  did it feel good.

**cut**

It didn't take long for Stiles to realize that he wasn't alone in bed. Usually he would wake up to three overly warm bodies, possibly a bunch of strawberry blond, sweet smelling hair in his mouth, Isaac's hand on his stomach and Jackson's leg over his and Lydia's.

 _This_  time it was only one body.

A hard, firm, warm, strangely  _relaxed_  body.

The scent of leather, rain, and forests was heavy in the air, and Stiles shivered when he figured out who he was sharing his bed with. He realized also that his pillow's arms were wrapped around him in a protective, almost _loving_  way, and that Derek's breath was sending shivers down Stiles’ spine every time he would exhale.

Stiles dared look up only to lose his breath.

Derek was  _relaxed_ , and he looked  _years_  younger. If you looked hard enough, you'd see a small, barely there smile tilting Derek's lips.

Before he realized what he was doing Stiles reached up with his right hand and gently traced Derek's lips with the tips of his fingers. When he realized what he did his breath hitched in his throat.

He was about to bolt when Derek's beautiful hazel eyes opened, and he looked straight in Stiles' eyes with so much warmth it took Stiles' breath away.

"Hey," Derek murmured, and Stiles swallowed.

"Hey," he choked out and shivered when Derek stretched lightly and tightened his hold on Stiles. "Am I –am I safe to assume, since my head is still attached to my neck, that you didn't – didn't mind me using you as a pillow?" Stiles asked, reversing back to old habits, and Derek laughed tiredly.

"Do you think I'd still be here if I minded?" Derek asked, and Stiles frowned. He shivered again when he felt Derek's hand on the skin of his back, strong fingers gently tracing small circles in Stiles’ skin. "Do  _you_  mind?" Derek asked, and Stiles looked at him.

Did he?

Shouldn't he be afraid?

Shouldn't he be disgusted?

Did he mind?

No, he didn't.

He felt safe.

He felt as though nothing could touch him.

He felt as though there was nothing and no one in the world beside Derek and him, and the bed they were lying on.

"Stiles?"

The teen's mind focused, and he found himself looking in Derek's eyes.

Those amazing hazel orbs were filled with worry, and concern, and something else; something Stiles couldn't name or define.

"Stiles…"

"How can you stand it?" Stiles asked as tears filled his eyes. "How can you stand touching me when I'm not – they..."

Derek moved quickly and covered Stiles' lips with his.

Stiles hummed when Derek cupped the back of his head, and deepened the kiss. He fisted his hands in Derek's jacket, feeling the need to push Derek away, but instead Stiles pulled him closer.

They parted for air, and Derek looked in Stiles' eyes. "You are  _not_  tainted," he spoke in full conviction. "You are  _not_  dirty, or  _impure_ , or whatever  _stupid_ ,  _meaningless_  thing you're thinking. You're Stiles. The annoying little kid who had the guts to come up to me and tell me - _lie to my face_  - that he didn't fear me. You are the brave little human who faced an Alpha Werewolf head on. You are the incredibly strong, smart teen who held me for  _3 hours_  above water, when you could have just as easily left me there to drown because I was a right  _bastard_ towards you at that time." Stiles laughed weakly at that. Derek swallowed, and rested his forehead against Stiles'.

They were lying on the bed facing each other. Derek's left hand was over Stiles' hand which was fisted over Derek's heart, and with his right hand he was cupping Stiles' cheek, caressing it with his thumb.

"You are the incredibly smart, kindhearted, loyal  _man_  who lived through something that would break some of the strongest men in the world, and yet you still have the courage and the strength to step out of your house, joke around with Isaac, and Lydia, and Jackson. You have enough strength to look over everything Peter did and smile at him. You have so much love in your heart that even though your dad's a werewolf now, you  _still_  bitch and moan about him needing to eat healthy, and you have enough forgiveness in your heart to let me be here with you after everything I've done to you."

Stiles huffed and cracked a small smile. "Wow…” he murmured as tears started to sting his eyes. “I think that's the most I've heard you say ever since I met you."

Derek snorted, and kissed Stiles lightly. "Idiot," he muttered, and Stiles snickered, only to grow serious again, shadows of fear darkening cinnamon colored eyes.

"What if you get bored with me? What if I…"

"Never," Derek cut him off sharply, and Stiles' breath hitched in his throat. "I'll never grow tired of you. I'll never leave you. I'll wait for you for as long as you need me to wait. I'll never betray you."

A few tears escaped Stiles' eyes. "But  _why_?"

Derek smiled and kissed Stiles' tears away. "Because you're hyperactive, annoying, hyperaware, too curious for your own good, sarcastic, snarky, spiteful, defiant, brave, honest, intelligent, witty, and so much more…” Derek counted and pulled Stiles close.

Stiles buried his face in Derek's neck and held on for dear life.

"But more than anything you're  _Stiles_ ," Derek said, and Stiles squeezed his eyes tightly shut. "And you're everything I need."

**cut**

John looked at Peter who smiled at him. They heard everything that had happened upstairs.

"Good going, Derek," John said, and Peter chuckled.

"Good going indeed."

**cut**

**I say Derek did well.**

**What do you think?**


	3. Our Heart

**cut**

**THE SONG THAT IS FEATURED IN THIS CHAPTER IS 'SOMEBODY SAVE ME' BY REMY ZERO. I CLAIM NO RIGHTS TO IT.**

**cut**

_Forgiveness has nothing to do with absolving a criminal of his crime. It has everything to do with relieving oneself of the burden of being a victim; letting go of the pain and transforming oneself from victim to survivor._

_\- C.R. Strachan_

**cut**

Stiles was frustrated.

Yes, he was.

He was frustrated with himself, frustrated with the world, frustrated with  _everything._

It's been a month since he and Derek started going out together and while it became easier for Stiles to allow others to touch him, while the nightmares started to become fewer and rarer, he couldn't - he simply  _couldn't_  let go.

Every time he would catch sight of Erica and Boyd, his heart would start beating quickly, and he'd start losing his breath.

Every time Scott would appear in Stiles’ line of sight he'd feel weak in the knees.

Every time he'd see Allison, Stiles would remember Gerard, and he would run into the first empty classroom, dial Derek's number and ask Derek to talk with him.

Derek has never failed Stiles. No matter how long it took he would simply stay on the line and  _talk_ , which was strange in on itself.

If anyone told Stiles half a year ago that Derek Hale would talk with him on the phone for more than 30 seconds every other day, Stiles would send them a ticked for a one way trip to the closest loony bin.

Anyway, if anyone told Stiles 6 months ago he would be the boyfriend of said Derek Hale he'd laugh his heart out and then crouch somewhere in a corner when he was alone and cry because he thought it impossible.

And yet here he was.

Where, you ask?

In a classroom.

Stiles is alone in a classroom at the very back of the school with his phone in his hands and trying  _not_  to call Derek.

While Derek had nothing against Stiles calling him whenever he needed him, Stiles had a  _lot_  against it.

Damn it, he should be able to handle this alone!

He shouldn't be depending on Derek all the time!

Isaac has gotten  _worlds_  better. Jackson's actually acting  _human_  for once. Lydia's smiling.  _Peter_  isn't as creepy as he was before (or he's at least trying not to be). His dad had his first Full Moon and he practically  _aced_  it with his incredible self-control.

And Stiles?

Stiles had a feeling he hadn't moved from that dark place he has been stuck in after – after  _that_.

Christ, he couldn't even _say_ it.

What bothered him most was the fact that no one has seen hide nor hair from Gerard Argent.

Either that old fucker was dead and they would soon find his rotting body, or he was somewhere planning retribution, and Stiles was more willing to bet his life on the second option.

Stiles knew damn well what his damn problem was.

Until Gerard Argent and his croons weren't dead and buried 6 feet under, Stiles wouldn't be able to rest. He wouldn't be able to lay down with Derek without thinking of  _them_. He wouldn't be able to kiss Derek without remembering that Derek wouldn't be his first. He wouldn't be able to move on before he knew that those sorry sons of bitches would never be able to hurt him.

Scott didn't contact Stiles again, but Stiles knew Chris had contacted Derek.

Derek told Stiles as much.

Chris wanted an Alliance.

Stiles guessed Chris has finally figured out that Derek and his Pack weren't the mindless monsters he thought they were. According to what Derek had said Chris wanted Gerard found and dealt with as quickly as possible, even if it meant burning his rotting body.

Stiles told Derek to go for it.

Derek had raised an eyebrow at Stiles, wordlessly asking if Stiles would really be alright with it, and Stiles only rolled his eyes and kissed Derek.

The next day Derek called Chris, and they have arranged a meeting at the Stilinski household.

Stiles wanted to be there.

He wanted to be able to look at Chris, Allison, Scott, Erica and Boyd.

He wanted to be able to look at Erica and Boyd.

They were part of the Pack, and Stiles' inability to look at them was stopping the Pack from growing closer.

But Stiles was afraid.

He was afraid of a panic attack, afraid of the nightmares, afraid of relapsing.

And he hated it.

He hated being afraid.

More than anything else in the world he hated being afraid, because it meant he could freeze up in the worst possible moment.

He swallowed over a lump in his throat and threw the phone into the pocket of his red hoody.

He stood up and took a deep breath.

No more.

He knew that if he ever wanted to have a normal life, if he ever wanted to have a  _real_  relationship with Derek, Stiles would have to get over it.

Even if his dad, Derek, and Peter told him it was still early, Stiles knew that he had to get over it sooner or later.

He refused to be the victim.

He was  _never_  the victim.

He wasn't exactly a hero either, but curse him if he'll be the damsel in distress any longer.

With another deep breath Stiles took the doorknob in his hand and opened the door.

'No more,' he thought as he stepped out. 'You'll torture me no more.'

**cut**

Derek looked around the living room of the Stilinski household; their  _home_.

That very thought almost brought a smile on his face, and it would have if Allison, Chris and Scott weren't there. Erica and Boyd also came. Although he still didn't trust them fully, Derek couldn't deny that the two were giving everything they had to make up for what they did.

Peter, John, Isaac, Jackson, and Lydia were also there, and Derek felt pride swell in his chest. In one short month they’ve managed to become a Pack he could be proud of. Sure they fought and argued, but at the end of the day, when Stiles would smile at Jackson in a calming way after the blonde Lacrosse captain would manage another day without starting a fight, when Isaac would grin at Stiles because the human teen made his favorite chocolate chip cookies, when Lydia would lay her head on Stiles' shoulder while they were watching a movie, when John and Peter would look up from yet another game of chess and nod at Derek as he carried a sleeping Stiles to what was deemed  _their_  room now (under stipulation that Derek's hands don't go below Stiles' waist of course), Derek knew, he just  _knew_  that even though they still had a long way to go, they could call themselves a Pack.

He knew Erica and Boyd wanted in on it, but Derek was firm in his decision to allow that only when Stiles said it was alright.

Derek concentrated on his human for a second. Stiles' heart was beating just a bit too fast for Derek’s comfort, but he attributed it to the Argents, Scott, Erica and Boyd being in the same house as Stiles, even though they weren't in the same room.

"Derek?"

Said man looked at Allison and she swallowed difficultly, trying to keep looking in his eyes.

"Won't Stiles be joining us?" she asked and Derek frowned.

"Didn't Scott tell you?" he asked and Allison looked at Scott. The teen looked at the ground. He was pale and his shoulders were hunched.

"He told me Stiles had some problems, but…" Allison was interrupted by Jackson, and she looked at him with a confused glare.

"Problems?" Jackson drawled and snorted.

" _We_  have  _problems_ ," Isaac said. " _Problems_  you can ignore.  _Torture_  and  _rape_  not so much." Allison and Chris paled while Scott choked up and fisted his hands.

"Isaac…"

"It's okay." Everyone turned to look at the doorway. Stiles stood there with his arms crossed over his chest. "What's past is past," he said and shifted his weight. Stiles looked at Derek and the Alpha smiled making the Argents, Scott, Erica, and Boyd look at him with shock written over their faces.

"You joining us after all?" Derek asked and Stiles gifted Derek with a weak smile. He walked over and placed his right hand on Derek's right forearm. Everyone could practically  _see_  Derek's muscles uncoil and shoulders relax a bit. Even his eyes warmed up.

"I need to be here," Stiles said and chuckled. "Otherwise you might start biting heads off for real."

Derek huffed and the 5 people who weren't used to seeing them together gaped when Derek bowed his head and nuzzled his nose against Stiles' cheek. "Take a seat. We should start."

Stiles smiled and nodded. Derek took a seat in an armchair while Stiles sat on the left armrest. The five were surprised again when Derek placed his left hand on Stiles' thigh, and the teen entwined the fingers of his left hand with Derek’s.

Peter, John, Jackson, Lydia and Isaac relaxed while the other 5 couldn't get over the shock. While Erica and Boyd  _were_  part of the Pack they didn't spend time with them, and both felt their guts fall when they realized the closeness the others shared.

Scott felt a bitter taste in his mouth. He was an Omega now. Yes, he had a weak alliance with Chris, and he  _had_  Allison but he was still a werewolf without a Pack.

Allison and Chris started feeling uncomfortable. The Hale Pack seemed strong now. Even though they were all relaxed in their places, the two could tell they were ready for anything.

John and Peter took seats in two chairs by the entrance. Chris could tell they were the first line of defense. Derek and Stiles were in the middle of the room. Lydia was sitting in an armchair beside them as the only other human. Isaac was leaning casually against the wall beside the only window in the living room while Jackson was standing behind the armchair in which Derek and Stiles sat. Erica and Boyd were on the couch, and while they seemed like members of the Pack, the moment Stiles entered they bowed their heads and practically stilled completely.

Scott, Allison and Chris were sitting in chairs that were brought from the dining room, facing the Pack.

"You look good, Stiles," Allison said weakly and Stiles looked at her, making the teenage girl wince at the sight of darkness in his eyes. Everyone felt it when the atmosphere shifted, and everyone saw Derek's hand squeeze Stiles' making it obvious who was grounding who at that moment.

"Thank you, Allison," Stiles said, but the tone of his voice sounded somehow bitter. "Despite everything that happen I have a lot of reasons to look over it and move on, my Pack being the most important one."

" _Your_  Pack?" Chris asked and the inner members of the Pack smirked.

The one who radiated the greatest amount of pride in that moment was Derek. "Yes," Derek said and looked at Stiles, who gifted him with a small smile.

"Derek and I are together now," Stiles said. "It is only a question of time until I accept the Bite." That was a shock to everyone; even Derek. "I don't think I have to explain to you what that means, Chris."

Chris swallowed difficultly. "You'll be the Alpha Mate," he said and nodded. "No wonder you said ' _your'_  Pack," he muttered and Stiles smirked.

"You'll ask for the Bite?" Scott spoke up for the first time and Stiles looked at him.

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked. "My dad's a werewolf, all my friends are in the Pack, and even though I love being human, Derek can't be an Alpha who constantly has to worry about his Mate being kidnapped and killed. He has a Pack to lead and take care of. I need to be able to take care of myself."

"You're strong enough as it is," Derek countered and Stiles snorted.

"Yes, and that is why you all place mountain ash on all doors and windows after I fall asleep and clean it all up before I wake up,” Stiles drawled dryly and the whole Pack gaped at him, making him snort. "You all suck at cleaning."

Lydia giggled while everyone else looked at Stiles with smiles full of fondness.

"We just want our Pack Mom safe," Isaac said and Stiles smiled at him.

"Just for that I'm making Chocolate Pie tonight."

Isaac grinned, almost hopping in his place.

Derek smiled. He could tell that Stiles was nervous, but the teen was slowly relaxing. His heart was still skipping every other beat, but at least Stiles wasn't on the brink of a panic attack.

"But I think we have other things to focus on." Stiles looked at Chris.

"Tell us everything," Derek took over and Chris gulped as he shifted in his place.

He was quite uncomfortable. He was surrounded by werewolves mostly, and while he  _was_  sure they wouldn't harm him and Allison, old habits were hard to shake off.

"We’ve tried to track down Gerard but all we found were traces and clues that he  _is_  alive and hiding," Chris said and everyone could see the Pack tensing up, while Stiles paled. It was strange how everyone instinctive shifted towards Stiles, even Lydia, although she was human, and Erica and Boyd tensed up and lifted their heads with murderous looks in their eyes.

"There's more," Allison said. "We've heard he managed to find some allies. That's why we wanted to talk with you. We need to hunt them down as quickly as possible."

"He'll know the moment we try," Stiles spoke up, eyes were filled with terror and memories, and he was holding onto Derek's hand with a grip that would have broken a normal human's hand, but he was keeping himself together splendidly. "We'll need to be careful and quick."

"We'll need to plan it thoroughly," John spoke and everyone looked at him. His eyes were glowing yellow and he was sitting straight in his chair. "He's an experienced hunter, and if he has managed to gather allies around himself we can assume that they are much like him. There will be no place for mistakes."

"Jackson and Isaac have the best noses among us," Derek picked up where John left of and the two mentioned werewolves stood straighter at Derek’s praise. "They'll be sent to track them down and see how many there are."

"Will you wait until the next full moon?" Allison asked.

"Only if you want a rabid Pack hunting Gerard," Peter answered dryly and the Argents tensed up when they realized that the atmosphere changed drastically.

Derek's eyes were glowing red, and the Betas were all on the verge of shifting, even Erica and Boyd. Lydia was frowning and one could almost  _see_  gears turning in her head.

Stiles was the one who surprised them most. He had a calculating expression on his face. His legs were hopping minutely and he placed his left hand on his chin, his fingers tapping against it in a quick, spastic rhythm.

"What are you planning?" Derek asked and Stiles stilled sharply before looking at his Alpha.

"We'd be putting Jackson and Isaac in danger if we sent them alone," Stiles said and looked at Lydia.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" she asked and Stiles snorted.

"Great minds think alike," he smirked.

Lydia returned it equally and everyone shivered. "We could use a spell to determine their position."

"Then Jackson and Isaac can get as close as possible to see how many there are," Stiles continued.

"We can use another spell to trap them in their hiding place," Lydia grinned in a way that made her look positively evil.

"And let the wolves have their fun," Stiles finished in a low growl.

Derek barely suppressed a shiver, but Stiles felt it and looked at Derek, amber orbs glimmering with knowledge.

"That's a good plan," Derek said, pushing down the sudden arousal which appeared as an almost _conditioned_ reply to Stiles’ darker side. "As long as we agree that not one of them will be left alive." Derek looked at Chris with a clear warning.

The Hunter knew that condition was not up for debate.

Chris knew the ones who hurt Stiles joined Gerard. He had no doubt that Derek and the others would scent them out the moment the wolves got close enough.

"We won't hold it against you," Allison spoke up to everyone's surprise. Her eyes met Stiles', and the teen frowned at the shadows of pain and sorrow in her eyes. "What he did to you, what Lynch, Howard, Crunch and Sven did to you; it's unforgivable." She looked at Derek and the Alpha nodded at her. "They are yours."

"Very well," Derek said. "Will you be joining us for the hunt?" he asked and Chris and Allison exchanged a glance.

"I want to," Scott spoke up and everyone looked at him. His eyes were glowing yellow and he was looking at Stiles. "I want to join the hunt."

"You'll have to do exactly what you're told," Stiles warned and Scott nodded.

"I will."

"Good." Peter smirked. "I do believe that it will be  _fun_."

"You're being creepy again, Peter," Stiles smirked and Peter batted his eyelashes innocently, making Stiles shiver jokingly. "Creeper," he muttered and Peter snickered while the Pack laughed quietly.

"I think we have a deal then," Derek said and stood up, closely followed by everyone else while Stiles and Lydia remained seated.

Chris nodded at Derek and looked at Scott and Allison. "Let's go. We need to prepare."

"We'll contact you when we're ready to move out," Derek said and the three nodded before they left without another word. Scott only shot Stiles a small glance before he hurried after Allison and Chris.

"Erica? Boyd?" Stiles called out when the two stood up to leave. They looked at him with matching expressions of surprise, and Stiles’ lips tilted into a strained smile. "Why don't the two of you stay for a while? I need to talk with the both of you."

"Stiles…"

"It's okay, Derek," Stiles interrupted his Mate-To-Be. "I need to get over this." Derek nodded. "Could you all leave the three of us alone for a bit?" he asked and looked around.

"We'll be in the basement," John said. He walked over to his son and kissed his forehead. "Shout if you need me." He left followed by Peter, Jackson, Lydia and Isaac.

Derek stood closer to Stiles and the teen looked up at him. Erica and Boyd blushed when Derek cupped Stiles' face, nuzzled his nose against Stiles and kissed him lightly.

"Don't go too far, Sourwolf," Stiles said with a small smirk. "I was thinking we could go for a ride and a walk later." Derek frowned at Stiles in confusion, but Stiles smiled at him comfortingly.

"Alright," Derek said and shot a warning glance at Erica and Boyd. "Call me."

Once Derek left Stiles took a deep breath and looked at Erica and Boyd. "Why don't you two sit down?" he said and took a seat in the armchair that was earlier occupied by Derek. The two took seats on the couch. They were both tense and their hands were fisted in their laps.

"Stiles..." Erica started but Stiles just raised his right hand to stop her.

"I'm not  _fine,_ " He said and looked at her. "But I doubt I'll ever be if I don't face this head on and  _deal_  with it."

"You're not supposed to just  _deal with it,_ " Boyd countered and Stiles looked at him with a small sad smile.

"Maybe, but I know what I  _must_  do," he said. "I  _must_  stop avoiding you two. My inability to face you is tearing this Pack apart. Derek told me how hard the two of you are trying to make up for what you did. It's time I get over myself and stop endangering the further growth of our Pack.”

"You're not," Erica said and Stiles looked at her with a confused frown. "You have no idea what you did for Derek and the others. Even though we weren't allowed to be in your presence the others didn't shut us out. Derek made sure of that. We trained with them when you weren't around and your dad trained with us alone. The only thing we missed were Pack nights and  _you_ ," she said as tears gathered in her eyes.

Stiles swallowed difficultly at that.

"We're sorry for what happened, Stiles," Boyd spoke up. "We should have fought harder. We should have tried harder. Most of all, we never should have ran away. We know we acted cowardly. But we can see that everything changed. We want to stay."

Stiles nodded. "I know," he said and stood up. "Derek and I won't be home until late tonight, maybe even morning, but we have a Pack night planned for tomorrow. I want you two to come."

The two looked at him with wide, hope filled eyes. "You-…"

"Trust me, Erica. I wouldn't be inviting you if I didn't mean it," Stiles said and smiled at her. Erica grinned and in a flash appeared in front of Stiles, hugging him with all her might. Stiles tensed up at first, but then smiled and hugged her back. He looked at Boyd and raised an arm towards him. "Come here, you big hunk. There's enough of me for everyone," Stiles said and Boyd walked over, wrapping his arms around the both of them. Stiles smiled and nuzzled his cheek against Erica's blond locks. "Everything will be alright," he whispered and felt the two shiver. "Everything will be all right."

**cut**

Derek frowned at Stiles when they stopped in front of the old Hale house. Stiles took a deep breath and shut down the engine of his Jeep.

"Stiles? What are we doing here?" Derek asked and Stiles offered him a small smile.

Derek frowned at him because he could hear the quick beating of Stiles' heart and smell the nervosas that was rolling off of him.

"Come, Sourwolf,” Stiles said and got out of the car.

Derek followed after him, and once they were in the house, Stiles led Derek into the living room only to stop in the middle of it. The teen rubbed his hands against his thighs and looked everywhere but at Derek.

"Stiles?"

"I..."

They spoke at the same time and Stiles grinned at Derek who looked at Stiles with a smile. Derek walked over to him and wrapped his arms around the slightly smaller man. Stiles took a deep breath and leaned on Derek.

He took in his Alpha's scent and felt warmth spread down his body when Derek pushed his hands under Stiles’ shirt and started rubbing his back with his fingers. Derek’s heart skipped a beat and his breath hitched in his throat when Stiles shivered against him and hummed in content.

"Stiles…"

"I meant what I said today, Derek," Stiles said and pulled back a little. He looked up in Derek's eyes and raised his hands to cup Derek's bearded face. He pulled himself up a bit and kissed Derek chastely. "I  _need_ to get over this. I  _need_  to feel normal again. I  _need_  to feel strong again."

Derek swallowed difficultly when Stiles pulled himself as close as he could go and their groins rubbed against one another through layers of clothing.

"Stiles…”

"You said you'd wait for as long as I want you to," Stiles interrupted him, and Derek barely suppressed a needy growl. "I don't want you to wait anymore." Stiles slid his hands down Derek's chest and under the leather jacket.

"Stiles, I don't want to hurt you," Derek growled and rested his forehead on Stiles’. "You don't need to do this."

Stiles chuckled. He was shivering in the safety of Derek's strong embrace, and it wasn't from fear. "Derek, I'm not some poor, weak victim," Stiles said and rubbed Derek's chest through the thin material of the t-shirt hugging Derek’s massive torso, making the werewolf growl in warning.

"I don't want to lose you," Derek hissed. "I don't want to lose control and…"

"You won't lose me," Stiles cut him off, and Derek looked at him. "My dad survived the Bite. I have more reasons to survive it than he did. Lydia, Isaac, Jackson, Erica, Boyd, Peter and  _you_. I want you, Derek. I  _want_  to be your Mate. I want you to stop worrying and wondering if I'll be there in the morning. Please, Derek. Unless you don't…"

"Don't even  _think_  that," Derek growled and cupped the back of Stiles' head roughly in his right hand. The grip he had on Stiles’ waist was almost too hard, and Stiles shivered. "I want you. You have no  _idea_  how much..."

Stiles laughed lowly and Derek looked in his eyes. "Then take me, Derek. Please," he whispered and his eyes glowed with love and hope. "Please. I need this. I need you."

**cut**

_I feel my wings have broken in your hands._   
_I feel the words unspoken inside._

**cut**

"I don't want to be afraid anymore, Derek," Stiles whispered and Derek suppressed a whine. "Make me feel safe again."

Derek kissed Stiles with everything he had, and Stiles wrapped his arms around Derek's shoulders, moaning into Derek’s mouth.

"God, Stiles," Derek gasped and Stiles had to let go of Derek when he almost ripped Stiles’ hoody off of him. It met the ground and Stiles yelped when Derek grabbed his hips and hefted him up, making Stiles wrap his legs around Derek’s waist. Stiles gasped when Derek's hard cock rubbed against his through the materials of their pants.

Derek kneeled and laid Stiles down on the discarded hoody. He let go of Stiles and moved back to take off the leather jacket. Stiles mouth watered when he saw Derek's muscled torso outlined by the black t-shirt, and Derek folded his jacket, leaning over Stiles to kiss him, and the human raised his head allowing Derek to place the folded jacket under Stiles’ head.

"Love you so much," Derek murmured against Stiles' lips and the teen shivered.

"Show me."

**cut**

_You are all I wanted._   
_All my dreams are falling down._

**cut**

Derek pushed down the need to just take Stiles and make him his. He reminded himself constantly to go slow, no matter what Stiles told him. He shivered when Stiles moaned after Derek started kissing down his neck, and pushed his hands under Stiles' t-shirt sliding it up slowly, looking for any signs of discomfort in Stiles, smirking when the teen arched against him after he slid his hands up Stiles' sides.

"Damn it, Derek," Stiles breathed out and his shirt joined his hoody. Derek framed Stiles’ head with his forearms and leaned down to kiss him, and Stiles entangled his fingers in Derek's hair humming in content when Derek ground their hips together, creating at least some friction. He kissed down Stiles' chin and latched onto a soft spot of Stiles' neck, leaving a mark there.

Derek braced his weight on his left arm as he traced Stiles’ side with the tips of his fingers, and the teen hiccuped and arched up when Derek teased a nipple with his thumb.

"Derek…"

"Hush." Derek kissed down Stiles’ neck and chest until he reached one pebbled nipple and gave it a tentative lick. He took it into his mouth while he rubbed the other with his thumb, making Stiles moan in pleasure and buck against him.

"Derek!" Stiles cried out breathlessly, nails digging into Derek's back.

Derek's hand abandoned the nipple and traveled lower. He massaged Stiles' thigh with it and raised Stiles’ leg to hook it on his hip. Stiles threw his head back when Derek thrust against him and shots of pleasure surged up Stiles’ trembling body.

It felt good.

It felt  _so good_.

 _Then_  there was no pleasure. Only pain.

Stiles shivered when Derek squeezed his thigh and bit lightly into the nipple only to soothe it with a raspy tongue. He started kissing down Stiles' chest as he settled between Stiles' thighs.

"Derek – please- please …"

**cut**

_Somebody save me!_   
_Let your warm hands break right through it._

**cut**

"Shhhhh," Derek whispered and nipped on the sensitive skin of Stiles' stomach, just over the waistband of his pants. "Don't think," he muttered as he unbuttoned Stiles' jeans and slowly pushed them down, leaving the boxer briefs on. Stiles almost screamed in frustration when Derek passed by his aching cock to kiss the inside of the right thigh.

Derek slipped his right hand up Stiles' left leg and smirked when Stiles arched off of the floor when he kissed Stiles’ member through the boxers.

Stiles shivered when a memory flashed through his mind, but he pushed it back.

'It's Derek,' he thought. 'It's Derek. He's nothing like them.  _Nothing_  like them.'

"God!" Stiles gasped and his eyes snapped open when he felt an incredible, wet warmth wrap around his cock. He looked down and almost came from what he saw.

Derek firmly decided that nothing in the world tasted better than Stiles. There was no sweeter music to his ears than the sounds Stiles was making. Nothing smelled as good as Stiles did, and the very thought that this strong young man would forever be his, made a possessive growl rumble in Derek’s chest.

Stiles choked on his breath and arched almost completely off of the floor when Derek's growl sent vibrations through his body and he came into the werewolf’s mouth.

"I'm sorry! Derek, I'm so..."

Derek climbed over Stiles quickly and kissed him, muffling the panicked apologies as he soothed Stiles’ worries away with gentles caresses to the teen’s side, breaking the kiss to nuzzle his nose against Stiles’. "It's okay," Derek whispered and kissed Stiles lovingly. "Everything's alright. Everything's fine."

**cut**

_Somebody save me!_   
_I don't care how you do it._

**cut**

Stiles cupped Derek’s face and kissed him hard. Derek shivered when Stiles slipped the tips of his fingers down Derek’s arms, the Alpha’s muscles twitching at Stiles’ tender, hesitant touch.

Derek’s pants were already very uncomfortable, and he doubted Stiles would ever know just what his touch did to Derek.

The werewolf littered loving kisses on Stiles' lips, cheeks, neck and shoulders, waiting for Stiles’ heartbeat to calm down a bit and his breathing to go back to normal.

Stiles felt good.

He felt excellent even.

Derek's touch while firm was still gentle. Derek's smell was all around him. His strong body was over Stiles like some impenetrable wall that would protect him from anything and anyone wishing harm upon him. He smiled and Derek's eyes filled with love. Stiles reached up, cupped Derek's face and pulled him into a loving kiss.

"Will you continue or do you need a written invitation?" Stiles mouthed against Derek's lips and the werewolf growled, thrusting against Stiles' reawakening erection.

Derek moved back and quickly took off his pants and boxers before he climbed over Stiles again and kissed him when he heard Stiles' heart skip a beat.

"Tell me to stop and I will," Derek swore and Stiles' eyes widened.

Derek's dilated orbs told Stiles that he would do it. If Stiles told Derek to stop, he would. At that Stiles' eyes filled with tears. He pushed himself up and wrapped his arms around Derek’s shoulders, burying his face in Derek's neck.

"God, I love you," Stiles breathed out and Derek smiled. "I love you so much."

**cut**

_Come on!_   
_I've been waiting for you._

**cut**

Derek kissed Stiles' neck as he comfortingly massaged the teen’s left thigh with his right hand. "I love you too," he whispered and felt Stiles shiver. Derek swallowed difficultly and growled when Stiles kissed his neck. "Stiles," he grunted and shivered when Stiles nibbled on his neck.

"You need to finish something, Sourwolf," Stiles whispered against Derek’s ear and the werewolf suppressed a groan, his aching cock twitching in expectation.

Stiles let go of Derek and lied down, tilting his head to the right a bit with such an open, loving expression that Derek felt as though he could fly. He leaned down and kissed Stiles with every ounce of love he had for this strong, beautiful teen that would be his forever once they were done.

"Take. Me," Stiles growled against Derek's lips and the werewolf suppressed a needy whine.

He kissed Stiles hard before he moved down and bit into Stiles' collar bone; strong enough to leave a mark, but not to pierce skin. It was not time yet.

Stiles did his best to relax completely, although he twitched and winced when he felt Derek's saliva-sleek finger against his entrance.

"Hey..." Derek whispered against Stiles’ ear. "Relax. If it becomes too much I'll stop. I swear I will."

Stiles shivered and hiccupped when Derek's finger entered him and stilled. "Don't stop," Stiles whispered and kissed Derek's right shoulder.

Derek grunted and continued preparing him. He was laying feather soft kisses all over Stiles’ shoulders, chest and stomach as he neared Stiles' weeping member. He licked the tip and Stiles whimpered as Derek took him into his mouth. The pleasure overwhelmed Stiles so much that he didn't feel it when the second finger entered him.

Derek pushed in the third finger and Stiles tensed up a bit, but the pain was soon chased away when Derek gave a particularly long suck to Stiles' member.

"God, Derek – please – I can't – I won't last long, damn it!"

Derek climbed over Stiles and kissed him. "There will be pain," Derek warned and Stiles nodded. He wrapped his arms around Derek’s shoulders and buried his face in Derek's neck.

"I know."

**cut**

_I would give you everything you want, oh._   
_You are all I wanted._

**cut**

Derek squeezed his eyes tightly shut as he aligned his member with Stiles' loosened entrance. He leaned on his right arm and cupped the back of Stiles' head with his left hand. "I love you," he whispered and entered Stiles in one swift thrust.

And Stiles bit into Derek’s shoulder and screamed.

**cut**

_All my dreams are falling down._

**cut**

Derek grunted and stilled completely.

It felt so good.

It felt better than Derek imagined it would feel.

But he couldn't move.

Not until Stiles told him it was okay.

Not until Stiles adjusted.

He had hurt Stiles enough as it was.

"Damn it, Derek. Stop. Thinking," Stiles growled and Derek's eyes snapped open when the teen moved.

Stiles couldn't believe it.

He couldn't believe it how absolutely full and absolutely wonderful it felt. There was pain. Of course there was pain.

But Derek stopped.

He stopped.

Stiles could feel how tense Derek was, how rigid that beautiful body was, how Derek trembled minutely with restraint, and Stiles didn’t need to be an empath to know that the Alpha was hitting himself over for making Stiles’ scream in pain.

But with each passing moment, with each _second_ that passed with Derek simply holding Stiles in that powerful embrace, Stiles could feel the pain ebbing away, his body adjusting to Derek’s size. He could feel the thick member pulsating inside him, and a surge of excitement passed up Stiles’ spine.

The fear was still there in the back of Stiles’ mind. The memories were still there, threatening to overwhelm him, but Derek’s presence was so strong, his strength and warmth encompassed Stiles from all sides, giving him comfort and security, confirmation that the werewolf was there and that he loved Stiles.

Everything came down to Derek and him.

Stiles rolled his hips hesitatingly and almost came when Derek's rock hard, hot cock rubbed against something in him that sent a wave of pure, white, hot pleasure up his spine.

"Damn it, Stiles. Don't move," Derek whispered brokenly and Stiles let go of a breathless laugh.

Derek allowed Stiles to lie down again and framed the teen’s head with strong forearms. Stiles winced slightly but raised his hands up to place them on Derek's neck. Derek rested his forehead on Stiles’ and they breathed together for a short while.

"Derek?" Stiles called quietly and Derek looked into those amazing eyes.

Stiles cheeks were bright with a blush, lush lips were kiss-swollen and those amber depths were dilated in passion. Derek choked back a moan when he felt Stiles’ tight heat relax around him and the teen hooked his thighs on Derek’s hips, thrusting up a bit.

"Make me yours."

And Derek needed no further prompting. He started to move slowly, not pulling out completely, and hitting Stiles' prostate every time. Stiles wrapped his arms around Derek's shoulders as the thrusts picked up speed.

"Faster," Stiles gasped and Derek growled. He pulled out so that only the head of his cock stayed in Stiles and thrust in quickly making the teen scream in pleasure.

If Derek was human Stiles' nails would have pierced his skin.

Derek grabbed Stiles' left thigh with his right hand as his thrusts picked up speed, and the teen arched against him with his head thrown back.

Derek was close.

He was so close.

The tight heat around him was almost too much to bear.

He pushed his right hand between them and started pumping Stiles' weeping cock in time with his thrust.

"Derek, I can't..."

Derek growled as Stiles whimpered into his shoulder. "I know," Derek hissed as their rhythm became frantic. Stiles choked out a scream as he came. The tightening of his ass brought Derek over the edge and he bit into Stiles' shoulder.

Stiles screamed as pain mixed with pleasure.

And then everything went black.

**cut**

Derek looked at Stiles.

He had dressed them both and was now sitting against a wall with Stiles' head resting in Derek’s lap. Derek pulled his leather jacket on Stiles as the chill of the evening settled in the burned down house.

He was constantly running his right hand through Stiles' hair. He didn't dare look at the bite wound on Stiles' shoulder. He didn't know what he would do if Stiles didn't survive the Bite. He didn't know how he would move on.

'I wouldn't,' he thought. 'I wouldn't be able to move on.' His heart clenched.

It's been two hours since he bit Stiles, and almost 4 hours since they left the house. Derek has been constantly listening to the steady beating of Stiles' heart and the slow intakes of breath, fearing the moment they would stop.

His breath hitched in his throat when Stiles wrinkled his nose and his heartbeat sped up.

"D'rek?" Stiles called out and Derek let go of the breath he was holding. Stiles opened his eyes and looked up at him. "Hey."

Derek smiled, relief flooding him like a tidal wave, leaving him as good as breathless. 'He's fine. He's alright,’ rolled through Derek’s mind like a mantra, and it took serious effort for Derek to actually open his mouth and speak. "Hey."

"I guess it worked," Stiles muttered and reached with his right hand to touch his left shoulder, only to find healed skin and dried blood.

"Yeah," Derek whispered and Stiles grinned at him. "It worked.” Derek suppressed the need to fidget, to fret over Stiles like a mother hen, although he knew that Stiles wouldn’t make fun of him if Derek surrendered to those urges.

At least not now.

"How do you feel?" Derek finally manage to press those words past his lips, and his heart clenched when Stiles took a deep breath, amber eyes sliding closed before he looked up at Derek again, and those succulent lips tilted into a calm smile.

"Complete." Stiles Derek with love filled eyes. "I feel complete."

Derek swallowed and nodded, not knowing what to say. Stiles sat up, kneeled beside Derek, and looked straight into Derek’s eyes.

"What is it?" Stiles asked with a frown. He could hear Derek's heartbeat. He could actually  _hear_  his heartbeat, and it was frantic. He yelped when Derek grabbed him and pulled him into trembling arms. Stiles found himself straddling Derek's lap, and Derek was holding on to Stiles as though he would disappear any second. "Derek, what..."

"I was afraid." Derek whispered, unable to hold back anymore and Stiles smiled.

He wrapped his arms around Derek's neck as the Alpha buried his head in Stiles' chest and held on for dear life. Stiles laughed quietly and kissed the top of Derek's head. "I'm here, Sourwolf,” he whispered and Derek raised his head to look up at Stiles. Derek shivered and felt his cock twitch when Stiles' eyes glowed orange, the color of the Alpha Mate, and Stiles bowed his head and kissed Derek languidly. "I'm right here. And I'm not leaving you."

Derek kissed him hard and Stiles found himself on his back.

"I'm never going to leave you."

**cut**

_I made this whole word shine for you._

**cut**

Stiles took a deep breath as they parked in front of the house. When they met up in front of the car, Derek took Stiles’ left hand in his right and gave it a reassuring squeeze, and Stiles snickered, knowing that Derek sought comfort from him as well.

"Should I go inside first and hide dad's guns?" Stiles asked jokingly and Derek snorted.

"I doubt it will do much good," he muttered and looked at the house. "They must have felt another bond open."

Stiles took another deep breath and nodded. "Let's go and face the music then."

The moment they stepped onto the lawn the door opened and Isaac ran out only to jump on Stiles and hug the life out of him.

"Easy pup!" Stiles called but returned the hug just as tightly.

Derek pushed his hands into the pockets of his jacket and looked up. The whole Pack was on the porch and they were all smiling, even John. There was a clear warning on the older man's face, but the way he was standing told Derek that John was alright with everything.

"You're officially our Pack Mom now!" Isaac said and pulled Stiles up.

Stiles laughed and ruffled the taller teen's hair before he walked over to Derek and pushed his hand under Derek's right elbow. Isaac was hopping beside them as they walked over to the house and the other teens moved forward for a huge group hug, while Peter and John stood to the side smiling contently.

The only thing standing in the way of true peace and content now was Gerard Argent. He was the only thing stopping them from enjoying this moment fully, but he would be dealt with soon enough.

"Can we have that chocolate pie now?" Isaac asked and Stiles laughed, making everyone look at him happily. They hadn't heard him laugh like that in quite a while. It was enough for John to forget that his underage son slept with an older man, and he clapped Derek's back making the Alpha nod at the Sheriff.

"Sure, Isaac," Stiles said as they entered the house. "Whatever you want." He looked at Derek and smiled lovingly, seeing two of the most important men in his life standing side by side, looking at Stiles with eyes full of love. "Whatever you want."

**cut**

“We need to take care of Gerard as soon as possible," Stiles muttered as Derek slipped his right hand up and down Stiles' naked back. They were in their room. Everyone was asleep, but Derek and Stiles were somehow too hyped up.

"I know."

"Lydia and I can perform the locating spell tomorrow. We have everything we need right here."

Derek frowned. Stiles may be a werewolf now, but that didn't mean he felt any less protective of him.

"We could be done with him before the week is over," Stiles said and Derek hummed.

He turned on his side and Stiles raised an eyebrow when Derek hugged him tightly with his face buried in Stiles' neck.

"Derek?"

"I'm just – I'm just worried about you."

Stiles laughed quietly, hugged Derek back and started brushing his left hand through Derek's hair. "You don't have to be," Stiles whispered. "Everything will be alright."

"I know that," Derek muttered and Stiles snickered. "I can't help it."

"I know," Stiles said and kissed Derek's neck. "That's why I love you."

Derek sighed and Stiles closed his eyes. "Love you too," Derek whispered and Stiles smiled.

He was sure of one thing.

There was nothing better than falling asleep with the one you love.

Nothing in the world.

**cut**

"Everyone ready?" Stiles spoke into his phone. He received several affirmative answers and nodded at Lydia.

She was on her knees with her hands held over runes they had cut into the ground. They repeated the same thing on 3 more places. Allison was on the Eastern Rune, Erica was on the Western Rune, and Chris was on the Southern Rune, while Stiles and Lydia took the Northern Rune.

Derek, John, Peter, Isaac, Jackson, Boyd and Scott surrounded the old warehouse Gerard and his croons were hiding in, and they were waiting for Stiles' signal.

"Light it up in 3..." Lydia lit up a match. "2..." She nodded and Stiles smirked. "Now." The moment the runes caught fire a wave of power washed over them and Stiles heard shocked gasps over the line.

*There's no way in hell they didn't feel that,* John grumbled.

*There goes the element of surprise,* Peter sighed and Stiles snickered.

Lydia raised an eyebrow at him when he took off his red hoody and flexed his shoulders.

"Trust me, Peter," Stiles said and Lydia's eyes widened when Stiles' eyes turned orange and he started to shift. "They'll be plenty surprised," he growled as he entered the barrier, throwing his cell phone into Lydia’s waiting hands.

He snickered as he sunk on all fours and turned into a huge, brown wolf.

And an excited, threatening howl echoed through the night.

**cut**

Gerard looked up when his weakened, old body was shaken by a wave of power.

"What was that?" Josh asked and stood up, cocking his gun.

"Earth magic," Gerard hissed and stood up. The two walked into the next room where 10 more hunters looked around in wonder. They tensed up when a howl reached their ears.

"That sounds like…"

"A Hunting call," Gerard growled. 'How did they find us!? We made sure there was no trail to follow!' His fellow Hunters grabbed their weapons of choice.

"You said there was no way for them to find us until we're ready to track them down and kill them." One of the Hunters said and Gerard sneered at him.

"We can still kill them. They are a young, inexperienced Pack, and their Alpha is hotheaded and rash. Do what you were taught to do and we'll have several werewolves less to worry about," Gerard said and took a gun.

They spread out over the warehouse and opened the hatches looking out, trying to find any sign of the wolf that howled.

Gerard walked over to a window and looked out into the night. He frowned when Stiles ran out on the clearing in front of the warehouse, apparently terrified of something. He tripped and fell, only to push himself up and look around as if Hell Hounds were after him.

"Should we kill him?" Josh asked.

"It would be a pity," Lynch said and smirked. "For a guy the kid's a good fuck." Howard, Crunch and Sven chuckled and Lynch reached down to adjust his dick in his pants.

"Don't get excited, Lynch," Gerard grumbled.

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!" Stiles screamed and the hunters looked at him. Several howls echoed through the night. It seemed they were closer than that first howl was. Stiles took a few steps back and tripped, barely managing to stay on his feet.

"I DID EVERYTHING YOU WANTED, DAMN IT!"

"Stand down. It's seems  _he's_  the prey," Gerard said.

"Should we save him?" Howard said with a lecherous smirk on his face.

"Maybe he'll  _thank_  us later," Crunch said and bumped fists with Lynch.

Stiles ran towards the warehouse when another howl broke the silence of the night. He ran towards the door and slammed them open only to scream when the closest hunter grabbed him and covered his mouth with his hand.

Gerard smirked and walked over to stand in the center of the warehouse as the hunter dragged Stiles over to him. He threw him in front of Gerard, grabbed a fistful of Stiles’ short hair and snapped his head back, making Stiles look at Gerard. The man smirked at the horrified expression on Stiles' face.

"Well, well, well…" Gerard muttered and crouched in front of Stiles. "What do we have here?"

Lynch, Howard, Crunch and Sven chuckled and Stiles' eyes widened even more in fear.

"You…" Stiles gasped out only to wince when the hunter holding him captive shook him roughly.

"You didn't think I was dead, did you?" Gerard asked and Stiles bit into his bottom lip. "Now. What's going on, child? Your  _Pack_  turned on you?" he asked with a smirk and Stiles whimpered.

"I – I don't..."

"So what if they turned on him," Lynch drawled. "I say we kill them all and then have fun with this one."

Stiles whimpered. "The Pack …" he stuttered, "The Pack's bigger now." He whimpered when the hunter holding him tightened his grip. "There's – there's too many of them and…"

"Let me guess," Gerard said, "they don't need you anymore so the Alpha allowed his new Betas to have some fun with you." Stiles' eyes filled with tears.

"Gerard..."

"Shut up, Howard," Gerard cut the man off before smirking at the teen kneeling in front of him. "Tell me,  _Stiles_. Did you perform any  _magic_?"

Stiles tried to nod. "It's a spell," he bit out. "A spell to keep werewolves away. I tried to – tried to buy myself time."

"And ran straight to us," Sven teased. "You obviously didn't have enough."

"I didn't know I would run into a bunch of fucking psychopaths!" Stiles screamed only to have Gerard backhand him. The hunter let go of him and Stiles hit the floor, holding on to his cheek and curling in on himself, and Gerard snorted.

"Jared! Any trace of the wolves?!" he shouted over to a hunter.

"Nothing! Seems the kid's spell worked!" Gerard hummed and looked at Stiles.

"Since you know such spells you might just prove to be useful," he commented. "We'll take care of your wolves."

Stiles whimpered. His shoulders were shaking. He looked so small and alone in that moment.

"Of course, we'll want some payment for that," Crunch leered as he rested his rifle on his shoulder, and Stiles shook harder.

"If you'll live long enough," Stiles muttered, and the hunters looked at him in slight shock, while Gerard's face shadowed with suspicion.

"What?" he growled.

Stiles' shoulders were shaking and small choked up sounds were escaping him. "There's only 12 of you."

The Hunters looked up when they heard three hits against the roof.

The almost full Moon broke through the clouds and shone light through the roof window and Stiles got up to his knees as three more thumps made the hunters grab their weapons. The main entrance shook as they moved towards the middle of the room.

"No…” Gerard gasped when Stiles raised his head to look at him. His eyes were glowing orange and the grin on Stiles’ face showed off growing fangs.

"And guess what?" he hissed. "There's 9 of us."

In that moment glass rained down on them.

Gerard turned and ran as Stiles shifted half way, grabbed the closest hunter and ripped his throat out with his claws, as Derek, fully transformed and roaring in anger, broke down the door, and the other Betas landed among the hunters with the sound of shattering glass.

"Get them!" John roared and his eyes glowed yellow. The Betas shifted and attacked.

Derek bit off a hunter's head on his way towards Stiles. They ducked a few bullets and arrows and Stiles jumped over Derek to rip a hunter's head off.

"Stiles!" Derek roared and Stiles landed beside him, orange eyes zeroing in on Lynch, Howard, Crunch and Sven.

"They're the ones," he hissed with an evil grin. Most of the hunters were already dead. Thanks to the training they underwent, a dozen of hunters was not able to match their speed and skill.

Lynch, Howard, Crunch and Sven soon found themselves surrounded. They had their guns and rifles pointed at the werewolves, but they smelled of fear.

Stiles, who was crouching with Derek's huge head over his left shoulder, snickered and raised his left hand to entangle it in Derek's soft fur. "What do you think, love?" he leaned closer to Derek. "What should we do with them?" he asked and the Betas snickered.

"I say we lock them in somewhere," Erica said with a huge grin. "I'd just  _love_  to sink my claws into them."

"I would say that we should give them the same treatment they gave you, Stiles," Jackson suggested. "Only I'm afraid my dick would fall off." Everyone laughed at that.

"We could make them rape each other," Peter muttered. "I'm sure that book of spells has a spell that can do that."

"We could just impale them on a piece of wood," Isaac said with an insane smirk on his lips. "I'm  _sure_  they'd just  _enjoy it_."

"I have a better idea," John growled and the four hunters looked at him. John shifted back to human form and smirked at them when he saw the glow of recognition in their eyes.

"The Sheriff..." Lynch gasped out.

"That's right," John growled. "You messed with the wrong kid." His eyes flashed. "I say we hang them upside down by their dicks in the middle of the forest and leave them there to  _rot_."

"Why don't we just turn them?" Scott asked.

"They'll just kill themselves later," Boyd said.

"Not unless Lydia and I put them under a spell that forbids them from harming themselves," Stiles said and leaned his head on Derek's. Half of his face was covered by Derek's fur. His one uncovered eye was glowing orange and the four men shivered.

"You're the Alpha Mate," Lynch murmured, realization of just how screwed they were showing in his eyes.

"That's right, Lynch," Stiles said. "You  _definitely_  messed with the wrong Pack."

"Don't kill us!" Sven screamed, threw his gun on the ground and fell on his knees. He bent over with his arms covering his head. The other three followed swiftly and the werewolves raised eyebrows at them.

"We'll leave! You'll never see us again!" Howard said.

"I don't think that would work for me," John growled and shifted again.

"Dad." John looked at Stiles. His son turned human again and walked over to kneel in front of Lynch, and the hunter whimpered in fear.

Stiles shifted slowly and touched Lynch's chin with the tip of his clawed right index finger, and forced him to raise his head. He leaned forward and aligned his lips wish Lynch's ear. "Do you remember what you told me when you were jamming your cock down my throat?" he whispered almost lovingly in Lynch's ear. The hunter whimpered and nodded his head. "You told me I have such pretty mouth; such full lips."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Lynch muttered over and over again and Stiles sneered and moved back a little as he slipped his claws down Lynch's chest. "Please. I'm so sorry."

Stiles grabbed a fistful of Lynch’s hair with his left hand, grabbed his dick through the pants with his right and ripped it off. Lynch fell to the side, blood pooling around him. Stiles sneered at Lynch and threw what he ripped off away. He snorted and moved over to Howard.

The man jumped to his feet and tried to run only to be caught and held by Isaac and Boyd. Stiles stopped in front of him and tilted his head to the right. "You're the one who said I was a good little bitch," he said and Howard shook his head frantically. The front of his pants was drenched in piss, and he was pale with fear.

"NO!" the man cried when his genitals met the same fate as Lynch's.

Isaac and Boyd let go of Howard as he puked and fell on his side, choking on his own spit. Stiles looked at Sven and Crunch. The two tried to crawl away from him but slipped on the blood on the floor.

Stiles smiled at them almost as if they were children doing something funny. "Now, now," he murmured and walked over to them. He crouched in front of them with his knees pulled together. He crossed his arms over his knees and rested his chin on them. "Whom should I deal with first?" he muttered and look at Crunch. "The one who raped me first?" he asked and looked at Sven, "Or the one who came last, hm?"

"Please..." Sven stuttered out. "We know what we did to you was horrible, but…"

"Horrible?" Stiles asked and chuckled. "Oh no,” his eyes glowed orange and his face twisted into a sneer, “it wasn’t just  _horrible._ "

All of a sudden he was on Crunch with his left hand around Crunch’s neck, his right on his chest, and orange eyes blazing fire.

"You  _beat me_ , you  _raped me;_ you took the  _one choice_  from me everyone has!" Stiles thundered and the man screamed, "I didn't have a chance to choose who would be my first. You robbed me of that choice," his voice lowered to a whisper as he grinned darkly. “Now I'll rob you of your choice."

Crunch whimpered and started to scream as Stiles started to push his clawed right hand into his chest. Crunch started choking on his own blood as Stiles gripped his heart and pulled it right out looking at Crunch with a dull expression, standing up and letting the heart fall on the ground.

Stiles looked at Sven and the man scrambled to his feet and started to run towards the gate. "He was the last one," Stiles muttered and looked at Derek. "He's yours."

Sven smiled as he reached the door only to scream as huge jaws bit into his right shoulder and threw him into the air. His body fell on the ground and his head followed.

Heavy silence settled over the room as the werewolves looked at Stiles. Derek trotted over to him and Stiles rested his forehead against Derek’s big head right between dark red eyes.

"Dad?" Stiles spoke up. His voice was muffled by Derek's fur.

"Yes, son?" John answered, still shocked by how bloodthirsty Stiles was just moments ago. 'I would have done worse,' he admitted to himself, and that calmed him down a bit.

"Gerard is yours. I'm done," Stiles whispered tiredly the Betas exchanged wary glances.

"Take him home, Derek," John said and they shifted as one. "We have a hunt to finish." And they disappeared.

Stiles sagged against Derek and the wolf nudged Stiles lovingly with his huge muzzle.

"Climb my back. I'm taking you home," Derek rumbled and Stiles obeyed him. He held on as Derek ran out of the warehouse. They would burn it to the ground later.

Stiles buried his face in Derek's fur as they ran though the forest. They suddenly stopped and Stiles raised his head when he realized they weren't home. He looked around and found out they were beside a lake deep in the forest. "Derek?" he muttered and Derek nodded his head. Stiles got off of him and his knees betrayed him when he came closer to the lake and he looked at his blood covered hands.

"Stiles?" The teen swallowed and looked up at Derek. Derek kneeled beside him and took Stiles’ hands into his bigger ones. "Come. Let's get you cleaned up," Derek muttered but Stiles didn't move.

"Can you still love me?" Stiles asked in a broken, wary voice and Derek looked at him with shock written all over his face.

"Why wouldn't I love you anymore?" he asked in honest surprise and Stiles' eyes filled with tears.

"I killed them." His voice wavered and tears trailed down his cheeks without him even noticing he was crying. "I killed them all. And I – I don't regret it! Why don't I regret it, Derek?! Why don't I..."

Derek pulled Stiles into his arms and hugged him tightly to his chest. "They were monsters, Stiles. Who knows how many people they tortured and killed. Who knows how many they  _raped_?" Derek said. "Please, stop killing yourself like this. Please," he whispered and held Stiles tightly as he cried.

"I'm a mo…"

"No!" Derek cut him of and made Stiles look up. "You  _aren't_  a monster. They  _hurt you_ , Stiles."

"But I..."

"No." Derek stated firmly and shook his head. "Trust me, if it was me, Peter or your father, or anyone else in the Pack, we would have done worse;  _much_  worse." Stiles choked back a sob and nodded head weakly. "Come here. Let's get you cleaned up," Derek said and slowly took off Stiles' shirt. He pulled Stiles up and took off the teen’s pants before his picked Stiles up and carried him into the lake.

Stiles' tears dried as the water washed away the blood and stench of the hunters. They looked up when they heard 7 howls echo through the night.

"It's over," Derek whispered and Stiles nodded with his head resting against Derek's chest. He wrapped his arms around Derek's waist and nipped on Derek's neck.

"Stiles?"

"Make love to me, Derek," Stiles murmured and Derek's heart clenched. "Please. I need to – I need to forget. Just for a little while." Derek swallowed and took Stiles over to the shore. He laid him down on their clothes, not caring that they would get wet, and settled between Stiles' legs.

"As you wish," he muttered and kissed Stiles hard. He grunted when their hard members rubbed against one another and Derek growled when Stiles' nails dug into his shoulders. He bit Stiles' neck as he ground against him and Stiles wrapped his legs around Derek’s waist. Derek reached under Stiles and probed his entrance with his finger making the younger man moan and arch against him.

"Please, Derek. Please. I need you. Leave that for later, I need you  _now_."

Derek growled and moved. He flipped Stiles over, grabbed his hips and entered him in one swift thrust. Stiles screamed and Derek bit back a howl, grunting with strain.

So close to the Full Moon, it was easier for both of them to lose control over their wolves. Stiles whimpered when it felt as though Derek's cock grew in him. His claws dug into the ground and he hissed when he felt Derek's claws pierce his skin. Derek leaned over him and Stiles' eyes opened wide when Derek bit into his right shoulder.

"Mine…" Derek growled against his ear and Stiles cried out when Derek reached under him and started pumping Stiles cock in time with the frantic thrusts.

"Yours!" Stiles gasped only to scream when Derek pulled out fully only to slam back into him full force.

"Derek – Please – I can't – I –..." Stiles screamed his release as Derek filled him with his seed and they collapsed on the soft, grass covered ground. They were both breathing hard and Stiles could feel Derek's knot. He pushed himself closer to his Alpha and Derek wrapped his arm around Stiles, pulling him against his hot, sweaty body.

Derek kissed the already healing bite mark and nuzzled his nose against the back of Stiles' neck. "I'll always love you, Stiles; my Mate. No matter what you do."

Stiles squeezed his eyes tightly shut and entwined his fingers with Derek's on his stomach. "And I'll always love you, my Alpha. Always."

**cut**

**1 YEAR LATER**

**cut**

"Stiles?! Where's my comb?!" Erica shouted and ran down the hallway with a bunch of clothes in her arms.

"Stiles! I can't find my bag!" Isaac whined.

"Stiles, Jackson's trying to steal my shirt again!" Scott yelled.

"I am  _not_ …"

"ENOUGH!" A mighty roar echoed through the renovated Hale House and everyone stilled. "Erica, you borrowed your comb to Lydia a week ago! She'll bring it with her! Isaac, your bag's in the basement with all the  _other_ bags! Jackson, stop stealing Scott's shirts, you have enough as it is!" Derek shouted as he climbed the stairs going to his and Stiles' room.

He heard his Betas run into their rooms just as he entered his and Stiles', only to find his Mate smiling at him gratefully from where he was lying on their bed with a pillow over his head.

"Thanks," he said. "I didn't know going to a camping trip with everyone would produce so much noise in the morning."

Derek snorted and walked over to the bed. He lied down beside Stiles and the younger man immediately nuzzled against him. "Everything's ready. We can go when John comes back from the station," Derek said and nuzzled his nose against Stiles' cheek.

Stiles sighed and nodded. "Sure," he said and wrapped his right arm around Derek's waist. Sometimes it was hard to believe they were here at all.

One year ago, before Gerard, Stiles never would have thought he would ever be with Derek. After they took care of the hunters and killed Gerard (John was the one who killed him. He borrowed a page from Stiles' book and ripped Gerard’s still beating heart right out of his chest before Erica and Boyd ripped the hunter apart, limb from limb), everything somehow fell into place.

A month later when things calmed down Scott came over and asked Derek if he could join his Pack. He broke up with Allison. There was just too much bad blood between them to make it work.

Chris and Allison left Beacon Hills after they signed a treaty with the Hale Pack never to return again. Beacon Hills was officially the territory of the Hale Pack and if any other werewolves, creatures or witches dared to enter it, they were either really stupid or really,  _really_  desperate.

After Scott joined the Pack, John made a sarcastic comment that if the Pack continued to grow they would need a bigger house. The next day Derek brought over several visit cards from several different companies, and they talked about renovating the Hale house. 6 months later they moved in.

Scott and Mellissa moved in with them pretty soon. She didn't want the Bite, but she and John seem to have something going on between them.

The Pack only grew closer with time.

Most of them signed up for the local College.

They were happy.

There were nights, although they were rare, when Stiles would have nightmares. The next day he would avoid touching anyone until the whole Pack would gather and pull him into one large puppy pile. Everything would go back to normal after that.

It was summer and Stiles suggested that they all take a little camping trip.

Like he said, he didn't know it would cause such a commotion.

He sighed and nuzzled closer to Derek while the Alpha chuckled.

"Come on. Once they finally pack up it will pay off," Derek said and Stiles snorted.

"What was I thinking?" he muttered. "Two weeks camping with all of them? We'll go insane."

Derek snickered as he nibbled on Stiles’ neck. "We can always run a bit further away," he murmured and Stiles rolled on his back, and Derek followed after him, leaning over Stiles as he littered feather-light kisses over his Mate’s right shoulder.

"Keep going, I like the sound of that," Stiles hummed, and Derek chuckled before he nipped on Stiles' collar bone and rubbed a hardening nipple with his right thumb.

"The forest around the camp goes on for miles," Derek spoke as he kissed down Stiles' neck and chest moving closer and closer to the tent in Stiles' sleeping pants.

"M-hm." Stiles hummed. "And?"

"We could run away for a few hours." Derek nibbled on Stiles' hard on through his pants and Stiles cursed under his breath. "We could make love there." Derek’s warm breath fanned over Stiles’ member and the younger werewolf arched off of the bed snapping his hips up. "Against a tree," Derek kissed the tip of Stiles' member and the Alpha Mate moaned, "On the gr..."

"Mamma Wolf, I was- OH MY GOD!"

"ERICA!" Stiles roared, jumped off the bed and chased after the screaming she-wolf. Derek rolled his eyes, groaned and fell back on the bed.

"Or not..." He muttered and rubbed his eyes with his hands.

They were a big, well organized Pack… most of the time.

And even though they argued, even though they fought and grated on each other's nerves, Derek wouldn't have any of them any other way.

Isaac, who was the baby of the Pack, always there to cheer everyone up with his easy smiles and sweet innocence.

Erica, who made everyone roll their eyes at her snide remarks.

Boyd, who was the quiet pillar of strength.

Jackson, who was the annoying big brother everyone hated to love, and loved to hate.

Lydia, who was the overall smarts of the Pack.

Scott, who was sort of the 'middle child' everyone teased, but loved as well.

John, Peter and Mellissa, who took care of everyone when Stiles and Derek were gone for some reason or another.

And Stiles.

"DEREK! I'M GOING TO KILL YOUR PUPS!" Stiles roared and Derek snorted.

Stiles who was always there when someone needed something.

Stiles who always did his best to make something sweet for Isaac, buy some fresh fruit for Erica and Lydia, new games for Isaac and Scott, a good book for Boyd, a good car magazine for Jackson.

Stiles who always made something warm for Mellissa and John to eat when they came home from work.

Stiles who sat with Peter, discussing magic and Pack dynamics.

Stiles who was always there to calm Derek's temper when someone would cross the line.

Stiles who was the heart of the Hale Pack.

"DEREK!" Stiles roared.

"I'm coming!" Derek shouted.

They were loud, they were as different as it gets, but in that difference they had the  _one_  thing that held them all together.

Their heart.

Their soul.

Their Stiles.

And they wouldn't have it any other way.

**cut**

**THE END**

**cut**

**I hope you liked!!**

**This is one of my favorites. :D**


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